OVERVIEW

Our research focuses on the atomic-level design of metal-based catalysts with catalytic-mechanism study for hydrogen-energy conversion technologies, including the fuel cells, water splitting and hydrogenation techniques. We are estabilishing distinct atom-control strategies to construct metal-based catalysts with precisely designed catalytic interface for record-high performance. With the help of in-situ electrochemical characterization technologies, we are also working on the real mechanism investigation for the hydrogen-conversion processes. Meanwhile, we pay attention to the assembly of hydrogen-conversion devices to realize the industrial utilization of our techniques.   

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ONGOING PROJECTS 

Design of Catalysts for Fuel Cells

We are focusing on the precise design of metal-based catalysts for low-tempreture fuel cells, including the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC). The studies begin with the basic understanding of electrode reaction pathways, including cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and acodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR). We make efforts to developing low-Pt or even non-Pt catalysts with commerical Pt-like performance for these reactions, thus achieveing the target of industrial utilization of fuel cells. 

Representative work:

1.  Controlling the valence-electron arrangement of nickel active centers for efficient hydrogen oxidation electrocatalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202206588.

2.  Nitrogen-inserted nickel nanosheets with controlled orbital hybridization and strain fields for boosted hydrogen oxidation in alkaline electrolytes. Energy Environ. Sci. 2022, 15, 1234.

3.   Atomic-level insight into reasonable design of metal-based catalysts for hydrogen oxidation in alkaline electrolytes. Energy Environ. Sci. 2021, 14, 2620.

4.  Octahedral Pd@Pt1.8Ni core-shell nanocrystals with ultrathin PtNi alloy shells as active catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 2804.

Design of Catalysts for Water Splitting

Hydrogen generation from water splitting has been used in decades. We are focusing on the water electrolysis techniques for high-purity hydrogen generation, including the proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis and anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis. Several distinct atom-control strategies have been developed to precisely design metal-based catalysts with elevated electrode efficiency for water splitting processes, including cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Representative work:

1. Engineering the electrical conductivity of lamellar silver-doped cobalt(II) selenide nanobelts for enhanced oxygen evolution. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 328.

2. Isolated Pd atom anchoring endows cobalt diselenides with regulated water-reduction kinetics for alkaline hydrogen evolution. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2021, 295, 120280.

3. Electrical and structural engineering of cobalt selenide nanosheets by Mn modulation for efficient oxygen evolution. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2018, 236, 569.

4. Phosphrous-modulated cobalt selenide enable engineered reconstruction of active layers for efficient oxygen evolution. J. Catal. 2018, 368, 155.

Design of Catalysts for Hydrogenation

We also pay some attention to the electrocatalytic hydrogenation for the production of industrial chemicals, such as ammonia and C1 molecule. These chemicals could be made by the electrocatalytic nitrigen reduction and CO2 reduction. We are still working on developing catalysts with high activity/stability for these reactions, espicially in the relevant devices. Some interesting findings would be presented in the near future.

Recent work: 

1. Connection of Ru nanoparticles with rich defects enables enhanced electrochemical reduction of nitrogen. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2022, 24, 11491. (Invited research article)