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11 Jul 12:34

FeS2 Nanoparticles Embedded in Reduced Graphene Oxide toward Robust, High-Performance Electrocatalysts

by Yanan Chen, Shaomao Xu, Yuanchang Li, Rohit Jiji Jacob, Yudi Kuang, Boyang Liu, Yilin Wang, Glenn Pastel, Lourdes G. Salamanca-Riba, Michael R. Zachariah, Liangbing Hu

Abstract

Developing low-cost, highly efficient, and robust earth-abundant electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for the scalable production of clean and sustainable hydrogen fuel through electrochemical water splitting. This study presents a facile approach for the synthesis of nanostructured pyrite-phase transition metal dichalcogenides as highly active, earth-abundant catalysts in electrochemical hydrogen production. Iron disulfide (FeS2) nanoparticles are in situ loaded and stabilized on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) through a current-induced high-temperature rapid thermal shock (≈12 ms) of crushed iron pyrite powder. FeS2 nanoparticles embedded in between RGO exhibit remarkably improved electrocatalytic performance for HER, achieving 10 mA cm−2 current at an overpotential as low as 139 mV versus a reversible hydrogen electrode with outstanding long-term stability under acidic conditions. The presented strategy for the design and synthesis of highly active earth-abundant nanomaterial catalysts paves the way for low-cost and large-scale electrochemical energy applications.

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This work presents a facile approach for the synthesis of nanostructured pyrite-phase transition metal dichalcogenides as highly active, earth-abundant catalysts in electrochemical hydrogen production. Numerous ultrafine iron disulfide (FeS2) nanoparticles (10–20 nm) are evenly loaded in situ on graphene through current-induced high-temperature thermal shock of iron pyrite powder in an ultrashort time (≈12 ms).

20 Jun 09:20

Hydrogen Evolution: Metal–Organic Frameworks Derived Cobalt Phosphide Architecture Encapsulated into B/N Co-Doped Graphene Nanotubes for All pH Value Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution (Adv. Energy Mater. 9/2017)

by Hassina Tabassum, Wenhan Guo, Wei Meng, Asif Mahmood, Ruo Zhao, Qingfei Wang, Ruqiang Zou
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In article number 1601671, Ruqiang Zou and co-workers introduce a novel facile bottom-up strategy for the synthesis of metal organic frameworks derived cobalt phosphide architecture encapsulated into boron and nitrogen co-doped graphene (CoP@BCN) nanotubes through pyrolysis and phosphidation-controlled methods. The new and advanced materials of CoP@BCN nanotubes exhibit excellent activity for all pH value electrochemical hydrogen evolution.

20 Jun 08:58

Stabilizing the MXenes by Carbon Nanoplating for Developing Hierarchical Nanohybrids with Efficient Lithium Storage and Hydrogen Evolution Capability

by Xianhong Wu, Zhiyu Wang, Mengzhou Yu, Luyang Xiu, Jieshan Qiu

The MXenes combining hydrophilic surface, metallic conductivity and rich surface chemistries represent a new family of 2D materials with widespread applications. However, their poor oxygen resistance causes a great loss of electronic properties and surface reactivity, which significantly inhibits the fabrication, the understanding of the chemical nature and full exploitation of the potential of MXene-based materials. Herein we report a facile carbon nanoplating strategy for efficiently stabilizing the MXenes against structural degradation caused by spontaneous oxidation, which provides a material platform for developing MXene-based materials with attractive structure and properties. Hierarchical MoS2/Ti3C2-MXene@C nanohybrids with excellent structural stability, electrical properties and strong interfacial coupling are fabricated by assembling carbon coated few-layered MoS2 nanoplates on carbon-stabilized Ti3C2 MXene, exhibiting exceptional performance for Li storage and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Remarkably, ultra-long cycle life of 3000 cycles with high capacities but extremely slow capacity loss of 0.0016% per cycle is achieved for Li storage at a very high rate of 20 A g−1. They are also highly active HER electrocatalyst with very positive onset potential, low overpotential and long-term stability in acidic solution. Superb properties highlight the great promise of MXene-based materials in cornerstone applications of energy storage and conversion.

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A facile yet efficient strategy is developed for stabilizing metastable MXenes against oxidation-induced structural degradation and the fabrication of high-performance MXene-based nanohybrids. The great promise of MXene-based materials in cornerstone applications for energy storage and conversion is highlighted by using MoS2/Ti3C2-MXene@C nanohybrids as ultralong-life anode materials in Li-ion batteries and a highly active electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution.