ABSTRACT
Fine-tuning nanoscale structures, morphologies, and electronic states are crucial for creating efficient water-splitting electrocatalysts. In this study, a method for electronic structure engineering to enhance overall water splitting in a corrosion-resistant electrocatalyst matrix by integrating Pt, P dual-doped Ni4Mo electrocatalysts onto a Ti4O7 nanorod grown on carbon cloth (Pt, P-Ni4Mo-Ti4O7/CC) is introduced. By optimizing platinum and phosphorus concentrations to 1.18% and 2.42%, respectively, low overpotentials are achieved remarkably: 24 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction and 290 mV at 20 mA cm-2 for the oxygen evolution reaction in 1.0 m KOH. These values approach or surpass those of benchmark Pt-C and IrO2 catalysts. Additionally, the Pt, P-Ni4Mo-Ti4O7/CC bifunctional electrocatalyst displays low cell potentials across various mediums, maintaining excellent current retention (96% stability after 40 h in mimic seawater at 20 mA cm-2) and demonstrating strong corrosion resistance and suitability for seawater electrolysis. As a cathode in magnesium/seawater batteries, it achieves a power density of 7.2 mW cm-2 and maintains stability for 100 h. Density functional theory simulations confirm that P, Pt doping-assisted electronic structure modifications augment electrical conductivity and active sites in the hybrid electrocatalysts.
ABSTRACT
A three-dimensional hierarchical nanohybrid based on Cu-Au bimetallic nanocrystals integrated carbon nanotube arrays vertically grown on carbon spheres was successfully developed as an active platform for sensing application. Such nanohybrid can provide abundant active sites and act as an exceptional platform for immobilizing highly dense and well-dispersed carcinoembryonic antibody (anti-CEA) to sensitively detect CEA, an emerging biomarker of various cancer diseases. Due to the unique nanoarchitecture with altered electronic structure of Cu-Au bimetallic catalyst and enhanced interactions between components, such nanohybrid based biosensor demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance towards CEA detection with great sensitivity, wide linear detection range (0.025-25â¯ng/mL), very low limit of detection (0.5â¯pg/mL), and good selectivity. The results imply that this sensor has great potential to offer essential information for cancer diagnosis and management with great clinical importance.