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- Hong, Jie, et al.
(author)
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Asymmetrically coupled co single-atom and co nanoparticle in double-shelled carbon-based nanoreactor for enhanced reversible oxygen catalysis
- 2023
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In: Chemical Engineering Journal. - : Elsevier. - 1385-8947 .- 1873-3212. ; 455
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Simultaneous construction of size-asymmetric metal single atoms and nanoparticle active sites in advanced and robust carrier materials is particularly important yet challenging for efficient reversible oxygen catalysis. Herein, a facile “chemical etching/in-Situ capture” synthesis strategy was developed to fabricate a unique double-shelled carbon-based nanobox integrated with size-asymmetric Co single-atom (CoSA) and metallic Co nanoparticle (CoNP) moiety. As expected, this well-managed catalyst product yielded remarkable bifunctional electrocatalytic performances in alkaline electrolytes, with a decent half-wave potential of 0.886 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and a small overpotential of 341 mV at 10 mA/cm2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Besides, this nanobox catalyst served as a cost-effective and efficient oxygen electrode in the assembled rechargeable ZABs, exceeding the mixed electrocatalyst of expensive Pt/C-RuO2, in terms of the elevated peak power density of 239 mW/cm2, the promoted specific capacity of 770 mAh/gZn, as well as the appreciable charge–discharge cycle stability. Theoretical calculations revealed that the strong interaction between the delicate CoSA site and CoNP phase, could effectively optimize the adsorption and desorption energy barriers of reaction intermediates on the designed catalyst surface, thus achieving synergistic enhancement of electrocatalytic activity towards ORR and OER. This finding affords a feasible and effective strategy to achieve highly active and durable bifunctional catalysts for both fundamental research and practical rechargeable ZABs applications.
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2. |
- Li, Ziyao, et al.
(author)
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Atomic-level orbital coupling in a tri-metal alloy site enables highly efficient reversible oxygen electrocatalysis
- 2023
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In: Journal of Materials Chemistry A. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2050-7488 .- 2050-7496. ; 11:5, s. 2155-2167
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Complex multi-metallic alloys with ultra-small sizes have received extensive attention in the fields of Zn-air battery and water splitting, because of their unique advantages including adjustable composition, tailorable active sites, and optimizable electronic structure. In this effort, an atomic-level orbital coupling strategy is presented to effectively regulate the electronic structures of ultra-small tri-metal Fe-Co-Ni nanoalloy particles confined in an N-doped carbon hollow nanobox. As expected, the optimal nanoalloy hybrid material exhibited notable bi-functional catalytic performances toward the oxygen reduction reaction (half-wave potential of 0.902 V) and oxygen evolution reaction (1.589 V at 10 mA cm−2) with a small ΔE of 0.687 V, exceeding the precious-metal-based and many previously reported catalysts. Furthermore, the as-assembled Zn-air device also displayed a superior specific capacity of 894 mA h g−1, a maximal power density of 247 mW cm−2, and impressive durability (over 100 hours). Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations revealed that the electronic structures could be finely tuned and optimized through ternary metal alloying, resulting in a suitable d-band center and advantageous interfacial charge-transfer, which in turn could effectively reduce the involved energy barriers in the electrocatalytic process and significantly boost its intrinsic activity of reversible oxygen catalysis. Thus, this work affords an effective method for the rational creation of bi-functional non-noble-metal-based electrocatalysts for sustainable energy technology.
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3. |
- Nie, Zhicheng, et al.
(author)
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Tailoring the d-band center by intermetallic charge-transfer manipulation in bimetal alloy nanoparticle confined in N-doped carbon nanobox for efficient rechargeable Zn-air battery
- 2023
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In: Chemical Engineering Journal. - : Elsevier. - 1385-8947 .- 1873-3212. ; 463
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this effort, the electronic-structure modulation strategy through nano-alloying was rationally designed to fabricate Fe-Ni alloy particles embedded in an N-doped carbon nanobox. The as-developed catalyst outperformed the commercialized noble-metal benchmarks with a decent half-wave potential of 0.891 V for ORR and a small overpotential of 325 mV at 10 mA/cm2 for OER both in 0.1 M KOH solution. Beyond that, a highly-efficient regenerative Zn-air battery was also successfully constructed, evidenced by a small potential gap of 0.664 V (between Ej=10 and E1/2), a high specific capacity of 763 mAh/g, a large peak power density of 270 mW/cm2, and robust stability. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical simulation confirmed that the alloying of Ni into Fe could well manipulate the electronic structure, leading to favorable intermetallic charge-transfer and then downshifting the d-band center of Fe adsorption sites, all of which help to significantly lower the reaction barriers of the involved intermediates during the electrocatalytic ORR/OER processes.
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