New Carbon Materials最新文献

In recent years, photothermal-driven desalination has been regarded as one of the most promising methods to solve the global crisis of freshwater scarcity. The solar generation of water vapor (SGWV) is a key process in seawater desalination which uses simple equipment and has a high cost-benefit. Among alternative photothermal conversion materials for a SGWV system, three-dimensional (3D) monolithic carbon-based materials have many advantages, including low cost, good structure control, and high light-harvesting efficiency which gives a high evaporation rate. 3D monolithic carbon-based materials with a high photothermal conversion efficiency are reviewed together with their use in interface SGWV. The working mechanism of SGWV and the classification of SGWV materials are first considered, followed by detailed consideration of 3D monolithic carbon materials, including their design, preparation and working mechanism in SGWV. Finally, both the advantages and disadvantages of 3D monolithic carbon materials with a high photothermal conversion efficiency are examined.

Iron-chromium redox flow batteries (ICRFBs) use abundant and inexpensive chromium and iron as the active substances in the electrolyte and have great potential as a cost-effective and large-scale energy storage system. However, they are still plagued by several issues, such as the low electrochemical activity of Cr³⁺/Cr²⁺ and the occurrence of the undesired hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We report the synthesis of amorphous bismuth (Bi) nanoparticles (NPs) immobilized on N-doped graphite felts (GFs) by a combined self-polymerization and wet-chemistry reduction strategy followed by annealing, which are used as the negative electrodes for ICRFBs. The resulting Bi NPs react with H⁺ to form intermediates and greatly inhibit the parasitic HER. In addition, the combined effect of Bi and N dopants on the surface of GF dramatically increases the electrochemical activity of Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and Cr³⁺/Cr²⁺, reduces the charge transfer resistance, and increases the mass transfer rate compared to plain GF. At the optimum Bi/N ratio of 2, a high coulombic efficiency of up to 97.7% is maintained even for 25 cycles at different current densities, the energy efficiency reaches 85.8% at 60.0 mA cm⁻², exceeding many other reported materials, and the capacity reaches 862.7 mAh L⁻¹ after 100 cycles, which is about 5.3 times that of bare GF.

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction is an important way to achieve carbon neutrality by converting CO₂ into high-value-added chemicals using electric energy. Carbon-based materials are widely used in various electrochemical reactions, including electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction, due to their low cost and high activity. In recent years, defect engineering has attracted wide attention by constructing asymmetric defect centers in the materials, which can optimize the physicochemical properties of the material and improve its electrocatalytic activity. This review summarizes the types, methods of formation and defect characterization techniques of defective carbon-based materials. The advantages of defect engineering and the advantages and disadvantages of various defect formation methods and characterization techniques are also evaluated. Finally, the challenges of using defective carbon-based materials in electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction are investigated and opportunities for their use are discussed. It is believed that this review will provide suggestions and guidance for developing defective carbon-based materials for CO₂ reduction.

Producing organic electro-oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) simultaneously in an electrolytic cell is an appealing method for generating valuable chemicals at the anode while also producing H₂ at the cathode. Within this framework, the task of designing energy-saving electrocatalysts with high selectivity and stability is a considerable challenge. Carbon-based catalysts, along with their supports, have emerged as promising candidates due to their diverse sources, large specific surface area, high porosity and multidimensional characteristics. This review summarizes progress from 2012 to 2022, in the use of carbon-based catalysts and their supports for organic electrooxidation and HER. It delves into outer-sphere electrooxidation mechanisms involving molecule-mediated oxidation and oxidative radical coupling reactions, as well as inner-sphere electrooxidation mechanisms, encompassing both acidic and alkaline electrolytes. The review also explores prospective research directions within this domain, addressing various aspects such as the design of electrocatalytic materials, the study of the relationship between the structure and properties of electrocatalysts, as well as examining their potential industrial applications.

Designing efficient and robust catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is imperative for saline water electrolysis technology. A catalyst composed of Co_xP nanowires array with N-doped carbon nanosheets (NC) was fabricated on Ni foam (NF) by an in-situ growth strategy. The material is designated as NC/Co_xP@NF. In the preparation process, Co(OH)₂ nanowires were transformed into a metal organic framework of cobalt (ZIF-67) on NF by the dissolution-coordination of endogenous Co²⁺ and 2-methylimidazole. The resulting cactus-like microstructure gives NC/Co_xP@NF abundant exposed active sites and ion transport channels, which improve the HER catalytic reaction kinetics. Furthermore, the interconnected alternating nanowires and free-standing nanosheets in NC/Co_xP@NF improve its structural stability, and the formation of surface polyanions (phosphate) and a NC nanosheet protective layer improve the anti-corrosive properties of catalysts. Thus, the NC/Co_xP@NF has an excellent performance, requiring overpotentials of 107 and 133 mV for HER to achieve 10 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 mol L⁻¹ KOH and 1.0 mol L⁻¹ KOH + 0.5 mol L⁻¹ NaCl, respectively. This in-situ transformation strategy is a new way of constructing highly-efficient HER catalysts for saline water electrolysis.

Because of the demand for clean and sustainable energy sources, nanocarbons, modified carbons and their composite materials derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging as distinct catalysts for electrocatalytic energy conversion. These materials not only inherit the advantages of MOFs, like customizable dopants and structural diversity, but also effectively prevent the aggregation of nanoparticles of metals and metal oxides during pyrolysis. Consequently, they increase the electrocatalytic efficiency, improve electrical conductivity, and may play a pivotal role in green energy technologies such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. This review first explores the carbonization mechanism of the MOF-derived carbon-based materials, and then considers 3 key aspects: intrinsic carbon defects, metal and non-metal atom doping, and the synthesis strategies for these materials. We also provide a comprehensive introduction to advanced characterization techniques to better understand the basic electrochemical catalysis processes, including mapping techniques for detecting localized active sites on electrocatalyst surfaces at the micro- to nano-scale and in-situ spectroscopy. Finally, we offer insights into future research concerning their use as electrocatalysts. Our primary objective is to provide a clearer perspective on the current status of MOF-derived carbon-based electrocatalysts and encourage the development of more efficient materials.

Electrocatalytic water splitting is a promising strategy to generate hydrogen using renewable energy under mild conditions. Carbon-based materials have attracted attention in electrocatalytic water splitting because of their distinctive features such as high specific area, high electron mobility and abundant natural resources. Hydrogen produced by industrial electrocatalytic water splitting in a large quantity requires electrocatalysis at a low overpotential at a large current density. Substantial efforts focused on fundamental research have been made, while much less attention has been paid to the high-current-density test. There are many distinct differences in electrocatalysis to split water using low and high current densities such as the bubble phenomenon, local environment around active sites, and stability. Recent research progress on carbon-based electrocatalysts for water splitting at low and high current densities is summarized, significant challenges and prospects for carbon-based electrocatalysts are discussed, and promising strategies are proposed.

The precise change of the electronic structure of active metals using low-active supports is an effective way of developing high-performance electrocatalysts. The electronic interaction of the metal and support provides a flexible way of optimizing the catalytic performance. We have fabricated an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst, in which Ir nanoclusters are uniformly loaded on a nitrogen-doped carbon framework (Ir@NC). The synthesis process entails immersing an annealed zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), prepared at 900 °C as a carbon source, into an IrCl₃ solution, followed by a calcination-reduction treatment at 400 °C under a H₂/Ar atmosphere. The three-dimensional porous structure of the nitrogen-doped carbon framework exposes more active metal sites, and the combined effect of the Ir clusters and the N-doped carbon support efficiently changes the electronic structure of Ir, optimizing the HER process. In acidic media, Ir@NC has a remarkable HER electrocatalytic activity, with an overpotential of only 23 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², an ultra-low Tafel slope (25.8 mV dec⁻¹) and good stability for over 24 h at 10 mA cm⁻². The high activity of the electrocatalyst with a simple and scalable synthesis method makes it a highly promising candidate for the industrial production of hydrogen by splitting acidic water.

Electrocatalysis is a key component of many clean energy technologies that has the potential to store renewable electricity in chemical form. Currently, noble metal-based catalysts are most widely used for improving the conversion efficiency of reactants during the electrocatalytic process. However, drawbacks such as high cost and poor stability seriously hinder their large-scale use in this process and in sustainable energy devices. Carbon-based metal-free catalysts (CMFCs) have received growing attention due to their enormous potential for improving the catalytic performance. This review gives a concise comprehensive overview of recent developments in CMFCs for electrosynthesis. First, the fundamental catalytic mechanisms and design strategies of CMFCs are presented and discussed. Then, a brief overview of various electrosynthesis processes, including the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, chlorine, as well as various carbon- and nitrogen-based compounds is given. Finally, current challenges and prospects for CMFCs are highlighted.

The reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) by electrochemical methods for the production of fuels and value-added chemicals is an effective strategy for overcoming the global warming problem. Due to the stable molecular structure of CO₂, the design of highly selective, energy-efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts is key. For this reason, graphene and its derivatives are competitive for CO₂ electroreduction with their unique and excellent physical, mechanical and electrical properties and relatively low cost. In addition, the surface of graphene-based materials can be modified using different methods, including doping, defect engineering, production of composite structures and wrapped shapes. We first review the fundamental concepts and criteria for evaluating electrochemical CO₂ reduction, as well as the catalytic principles and processes. Methods for preparing graphene-based catalysts are briefly introduced, and recent research on them is summarized according to the categories of the catalytic sites. Finally, the future development direction of CO₂ electroreduction technology is discussed.