Amorphous nanomaterials in electrocatalytic water splitting

doi:10.1016/S1872-2067(20)63740-8

Abstract

Abstract:

Electrochemical water splitting, as a promising method for hydrogen production, has attracted significant attention. However, the lack of an electrocatalyst with a small energy loss and fast reaction kinetics has hindered the development of this technology. Amorphous nanomaterials with short-range order and long-range disorder features have recently shown superior activity compared to their crystalline counterparts in water electrolysis. The enhanced activity arising from their intrinsic disordered structure results in more active sites and a higher intrinsic activity of such sites. In this regard, this review is aimed at summarizing the progress in amorphous electrocatalysts for water splitting. First, the synthesis strategies for amorphous electrocatalysts are discussed. Characterization tools for amorphous nanomaterials are then summarized. Moreover, the origin of the enhanced activity and stability of amorphous nanomaterials is analyzed. Finally, the current challenges and promising opportunities in this research area are discussed. This review aims to provide a guide for designing and developing amorphous nanomaterials with a fascinating electrocatalytic water splitting performance.

Key words: Amorphous, Electrocatalysis, Water splitting, Synthesis, Nanomaterials

Chengying Guo, Yanmei Shi, Siyu Lu, Yifu Yu, Bin Zhang. Amorphous nanomaterials in electrocatalytic water splitting[J]. Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2021, 42(8): 1287-1296.

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URL: https://www.cjcatal.com/EN/10.1016/S1872-2067(20)63740-8

https://www.cjcatal.com/EN/Y2021/V42/I8/1287

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1. (a) Scheme of processes associated with an aerosol-spray assisted method for the synthesis of amorphous nanomaterials. Reproduced with permission from [33]. Copyright 2014, Wiley-VCH. (b) Illustration of the two-step hydrothermal synthesis of amorphous FeMoS4 NRA/CC. Reproduced with permission from [37]. Copyright 2017, Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fig. 2. HRTEM images (left) and FFTs (right) of surface regions in LiCoO2 (a-c) and LiCoPO4 (d-f): (a) pristine LiCoO2, (b) cycled in 0.1M KPi, (c) cycled in 0.1 M KOH, (d) pristine LiCoPO4, (e) cycled in 0.1 M KPi, and (f) cycled in 0.1M KOH. Reproduced with permission from [38]. Copyright 2012, American Chemical Society. (g) Scheme of in situ formed amorphous layer through leaching Y3+ in Y2Ir2O7. Reproduced with permission from [42]. Copyright 2017, American Chemical Society. (h) HRTEM image of Ni2P nanoparticles after electrochemical OER measurement for 1 h; inset: FFT of the dotted yellow area. EDX mapping of P (i), O (j), and Ni (k), and combined (l) elemental mapping. Reproduced with permission from [43]. Copyright 2015, Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fig. 3. Scheme of transformation from crystalline Pd3P2S8 into amorphous Li-PPS NDs and their electrocatalytic performance. Reproduced with permission from [49]. Copyright 2018, Nature Publishing Group.

Fig. 4. (a) XRD patterns of amorphous Co/Fe-based (oxy)hydroxide. A-C and A-F indexed to Co-based (oxy)hydroxide and Fe-based (oxy)hydroxide. The Co/Fe ratio of CFOH-COH-1/3, CFOH-COH-1, and CFOH-COH-3 are 1:3, 1:1, and 1:1, respectively. Reproduced with permission from [50]. Copyright 2020, Elsevier. (b) XRD of un-anodized and anodized materials followed by annealing at different temperatures. Reproduced with permission from [51]. Copyright 2016, Royal Society of Chemistry. (c) XRD of amorphous and crystalline Ni-Fe alloy. Reproduced with permission from [52]. Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society. (d) HRTEM image of crystalline CoFe2O4. (e) The corresponding SAED of (d). (f) HRTEM image of amorphous CoFe2On (n = ~3.66). (g) The corresponding SAED of (f). Reproduced with permission from [26]. Copyright 2014, American Chemical Society. (h) HRTEM image and SAED of amorphous Li-PPS NDs. Reproduced with permission from [49]. Copyright 2018, Nature Publishing Group. (i) HRTEM and SAED of amorphous Fe-Ni alloy. HAADF-STEM images of amorphous Fe-Ni alloy (j) and crystalline Fe-Ni alloy (k). Reproduced with permission from [52]. Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society.

Fig. 5. (a) Raman spectra of crystalline and disord cobalt manganese oxides. Reproduced with permission from [54]. Copyright 2013, Wiley-VCH. (b) Raman spectra of (1) Co3O4-20 h, (2) Co3O4-20 h-H2O2, and (3) Co3O4-20 h-H2O2-Ar, and the crystalline degree decreased from (1) to (3). Reproduced with permission from [56]. Copyright 2014, Wiley-VCH. (c) The XANES spectra of Co K-edge for pakhomovskyite loaded on FTO electrode, after operation at 1.35 V for 2 min and 10 h. Reproduced with permission from [57]. Copyright 2015, Wiley-VCH. (d) The k3-weighted FT spectra of NiSe/NiO, NiSe2 ultrathin nanowires (NiSe2 UNWs), NiO, and NiSe. Reproduced with permission from [58]. Copyright 2017, Wiley-VCH. (e) XANES profiles of Co3O4 under electrochemical conditions. Reproduced with permission from [28]. Copyright 2015, Nature Publishing Group. (f) Co K-edge FT-EXAFS k3χ data of SnCoFe and SnCoFe-Ar. Reproduced with permission from [60]. Copyright 2018, Wiley-VCH.

Fig. 6. (a) OER on the surface of a crystal; (b) OER catalysis in the bulk of amorphous material, and proton transfer to an electrolyte buffer base at the surface; (c) Catalytic currents for variation of the deposition charge from 2 to 200 mC. (d) TOF per cobalt ion and the formed O2 molecule. Reproduced with permission from [72]. Copyright 2014, Wiley-VCH.

Fig. 7. Electrochemical measurement and projected density of states (PDOS) of Ni-Fe Prussian blue analogues. (a) Chronopotentiometric measurement at a current density of 20 mA cm-2; (b) Polarization curves for different cycles and IrO2; (c) Multi-step deprotonation during OER; PDOS of Ni(OH)2 (d), NiOOH1.5 (e), and NiOOH0.5 (f). Reproduced with permission from [73]. Copyright 2018, American Chemical Society.

Fig. 8. (a) Chronopotentiometric curves of Ni foam, amorphous, and crystalline Ni-Fe alloy loaded Ni foam at a constant current density (500 mA cm-2) at 80 °C. Reproduced with permission from [52]. Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society. HRTEM image of pristine Co4N (b) without activation, and after 20 (c), 100 (d), 500 (e), and 1000 (f) CV cycles. Reproduced with permission from [89]. Copyright 2015, Wiley-VCH.

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