Weijia Zhou

Bio: Weijia Zhou is an academic researcher from University of Jinan. The author has contributed to research in topics: Catalysis & Overpotential. The author has an hindex of 51, co-authored 151 publications receiving 10322 citations. Previous affiliations of Weijia Zhou include Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center & Shandong University.

Synthesis of Few-Layer MoS2 Nanosheet-Coated TiO2 Nanobelt Heterostructures for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activities

Abstract: MoS(2) nanosheet-coated TiO(2) nanobelt heterostructures--referred to as TiO(2)@MoS(2)--with a 3D hierarchical configuration are prepared via a hydrothermal reaction. The TiO(2) nanobelts used as a synthetic template inhibit the growth of MoS(2) crystals along the c-axis, resulting in a few-layer MoS(2) nanosheet coating on the TiO(2) nanobelts. The as-prepared TiO(2)@MoS(2) heterostructure shows a high photocatalytic hydrogen production even without the Pt co-catalyst. Importantly, the TiO(2)@MoS(2) heterostructure with 50 wt% of MoS(2) exhibits the highest hydrogen production rate of 1.6 mmol h(-1) g(-1). Moreover, such a heterostructure possesses a strong adsorption ability towards organic dyes and shows high performance in photocatalytic degradation of the dye molecules.

Mesoporous N-Doped Carbons Prepared with Thermally Removable Nanoparticle Templates: An Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract: Thermally removable nanoparticle templates were used for the fabrication of self-supported N-doped mesoporous carbons with a trace amount of Fe (Fe-N/C). Experimentally Fe-N/C was prepared by pyrolysis of poly(2-fluoroaniline) (P2FANI) containing a number of FeO(OH) nanorods that were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis and homogeneously distributed within the polymer matrix. The FeO(OH) nanocrystals acted as rigid templates to prevent the collapse of P2FANI during the carbonization process, where a mesoporous skeleton was formed with a medium surface area of about 400 m2/g. Subsequent thermal treatments at elevated temperatures led to the decomposition and evaporation of the FeO(OH) nanocrystals and the formation of mesoporous carbons with the surface area markedly enhanced to 934.8 m2/g. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the resulting mesoporous carbons exhibited apparent electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), and the one prepared at 800 °C (Fe-N/C-800) was the...

Ag2O/TiO2 nanobelts heterostructure with enhanced ultraviolet and visible photocatalytic activity.

Abstract: Ag2O/TiO2 heterostructure with high photocatalytic activity both in ultraviolet and visible-light region was synthesized via a simple and practical coprecipitation method by using surface-modified ...

Ultrahigh‐Performance Pseudocapacitor Electrodes Based on Transition Metal Phosphide Nanosheets Array via Phosphorization: A General and Effective Approach

Abstract: In this study, a general and effective phosphorization strategy is successfully demonstrated to enhance supercapacitor performance of various transition metals oxide or hydroxide, such as Ni(OH)2, Co(OH)2, MnO2, and Fe2O3. For example, a 3D networked Ni2P nanosheets array via a facile phosphorization reaction of Ni(OH)2 nanosheets is grown on the surface of a Ni foam. The Ni foam-supported Ni2P nanosheet (Ni2P NS/NF) electrode shows a remarkable specific capacitance of 2141 F g−1 at a scan rate of 50 mV s−1 and remains as high as 1109 F g−1 even at the current density of 83.3 A g−1. The specific capacitance is much larger than those of Ni(OH)2 NS/NF (747 F g−1 at 50 mV s−1). Furthermore, the electrode retains a high specific capacitance of 1437 F g−1 even after 5000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g−1, in sharp contrast with only 403 F g−1 of Ni(OH)2 NS/NF at the same current density. The similar enhanced performance is observed for Ni2P powder, which eliminates the influence of nickel foam. The enhanced supercapacitor performances are attributed to the 3D porous nanosheets network, enhanced conductivity, and two active components of Ni2+ and Pδ− with rich valences of Ni2P.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

The chemistry of two-dimensional layered transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets

Abstract: Ultrathin two-dimensional nanosheets of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are fundamentally and technologically intriguing. In contrast to the graphene sheet, they are chemically versatile. Mono- or few-layered TMDs - obtained either through exfoliation of bulk materials or bottom-up syntheses - are direct-gap semiconductors whose bandgap energy, as well as carrier type (n- or p-type), varies between compounds depending on their composition, structure and dimensionality. In this Review, we describe how the tunable electronic structure of TMDs makes them attractive for a variety of applications. They have been investigated as chemically active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and hydrosulfurization, as well as electrically active materials in opto-electronics. Their morphologies and properties are also useful for energy storage applications such as electrodes for Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors.

Noble metal-free hydrogen evolution catalysts for water splitting

Abstract: Sustainable hydrogen production is an essential prerequisite of a future hydrogen economy. Water electrolysis driven by renewable resource-derived electricity and direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion based on photochemical and photoelectrochemical water splitting are promising pathways for sustainable hydrogen production. All these techniques require, among many things, highly active noble metal-free hydrogen evolution catalysts to make the water splitting process more energy-efficient and economical. In this review, we highlight the recent research efforts toward the synthesis of noble metal-free electrocatalysts, especially at the nanoscale, and their catalytic properties for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We review several important kinds of heterogeneous non-precious metal electrocatalysts, including metal sulfides, metal selenides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, metal phosphides, and heteroatom-doped nanocarbons. In the discussion, emphasis is given to the synthetic methods of these HER electrocatalysts, the strategies of performance improvement, and the structure/composition-catalytic activity relationship. We also summarize some important examples showing that non-Pt HER electrocatalysts could serve as efficient cocatalysts for promoting direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion in both photochemical and photoelectrochemical water splitting systems, when combined with suitable semiconductor photocatalysts.