Designing Atomically Dispersed Au on Tensile-Strained Pd for Efficient CO2 Electroreduction to Formate.

Pd is one of the most effective catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formate, a valuable liquid product, at low overpotential. However, the intrinsically high CO affinity of Pd makes the surface vulnerable to CO poisoning, resulting in rapid catalyst deactivation during CO2 electroreduction. Herein, we utilize the interaction between metals and metal-organic frameworks to synthesize atomically dispersed Au on tensile-strained Pd nanoparticles showing significantly improved formate production activity, selectivity, and stability with high CO tolerance. We found that the tensile strain stabilizes all reaction intermediates on the Pd surface, whereas the atomically dispersed Au selectively destabilizes CO* without affecting other adsorbates. As a result, the conventional COOH* versus CO* scaling relation is broken, and our catalyst exhibits 26- and 31-fold enhancement in partial current density and mass activity toward electrocatalytic formate production with over 99% faradaic efficiency, compared to Pd/C at -0.25 V versus RHE.

Branched Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Highly Selective Ethylene Production by Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction.

For long-term storage of renewable energy, the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) offers a promising option for converting electricity to permanent forms of chemical energy. In this work, we present highly selective ethylene production dependent upon the catalyst morphology using copper oxide nanoparticles. The branched CuO nanoparticles were synthesized and then deposited on conductive carbon materials. After activation, the major copper species changed to Cu+, and the resulting electrocatalyst exhibited a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of ethylene reaching over 70% and a hydrogen FE of 30% without any byproducts in a neutral aqueous solution. The catalyst also showed high durability (up to 12 h) with the ethylene FE over 65%. Compared to cubic morphology, the initial branched copper oxide structure formed highly active domains with interfaces and junctions in-between during activation, which caused large surface area with high local pH leading to high selectivity and activity for ethylene production.

Electrochemical Fragmentation of Cu2O Nanoparticles Enhancing Selective C-C Coupling from CO2 Reduction Reaction.

In this study, we demonstrate that the initial morphology of nanoparticles can be transformed into small fragmented nanoparticles, which were densely contacted to each other, during electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Cu-based nanoparticles were directly grown on a carbon support by using cysteamine immobilization agent, and the synthesized nanoparticle catalyst showed increasing activity during initial CO2RR, doubling Faradaic efficiency of C2H4 production from 27% to 57.3%. The increased C2H4 production activity was related to the morphological transformation over reaction time. Twenty nm cubic Cu2O crystalline particles gradually experienced in situ electrochemical fragmentation into 2-4 nm small particles under the negative potential, and the fragmentation was found to be initiated from the surface of the nanocrystal. Compared to Cu@CuO nanoparticle/C or bulk Cu foil, the fragmented Cu-based NP/C catalyst achieved enhanced C2+ production selectivity, accounting 87% of the total CO2RR products, and suppressed H2 production. In-situ X-ray absorption near edge structure studies showed metallic Cu0 state was observed under CO2RR, but the fragmented nanoparticles were more readily reoxidized at open circuit potential inside of the electrolyte, allowing labile Cu states. The unique morphology, small nanoparticles stacked upon on another, is proposed to promote C-C coupling reaction selectivity from CO2RR by suppressing HER.

Alloy Nanocatalysts for the Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction (ORR) and the Direct Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction Reaction (CO2 RR).

In the face of the global energy challenge and progressing global climate change, renewable energy systems and components, such as fuel cells and electrolyzers, which close the energetic oxygen and carbon cycles, have become a technology development priority. The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the direct electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2 RR) are important electrocatalytic processes that proceed at gas diffusion electrodes of hydrogen fuel cells and CO2 electrolyzers, respectively. However, their low catalytic activity (voltage efficiency), limited long-term stability, and moderate product selectivity (related to their Faradaic efficiency) have remained challenges. To address these, suitable catalysts are required. This review addresses the current state of research on Pt-based and Cu-based nanoalloy electrocatalysts for ORR and CO2 RR, respectively, and critically compares and contrasts key performance parameters such as activity, selectivity, and durability. In particular, Pt nanoparticles alloyed with transition metals, post-transition metals and lanthanides, are discussed, as well as the material characterization and their performance for the ORR. Then, bimetallic Cu nanoalloy catalysts are reviewed and organized according to their main reaction product generated by the second metal. This review concludes with a perspective on nanoalloy catalysts for the ORR and the CO2 RR, and proposes future research directions.

Achieving Selective and Efficient Electrocatalytic Activity for CO2 Reduction Using Immobilized Silver Nanoparticles.

Selective electrochemical reduction of CO2 is one of the most sought-after processes because of the potential to convert a harmful greenhouse gas to a useful chemical. We have discovered that immobilized Ag nanoparticles supported on carbon exhibit enhanced Faradaic efficiency and a lower overpotential for selective reduction of CO2 to CO. These electrocatalysts were synthesized directly on the carbon support by a facile one-pot method using a cysteamine anchoring agent resulting in controlled monodispersed particle sizes. These synthesized Ag/C electrodes showed improved activities, specifically decrease of the overpotential by 300 mV at 1 mA/cm(2), and 4-fold enhanced CO Faradaic efficiency at -0.75 V vs RHE with the optimal particle size of 5 nm compared to polycrystalline Ag foil. DFT calculations enlightened that the specific interaction between Ag nanoparticle and the anchoring agents modified the catalyst surface to have a selectively higher affinity to the intermediate COOH over CO, which effectively lowers the overpotential.

Shaped Ni nanoparticles with an unconventional hcp crystalline structure.

Hourglass-shaped Ni nanoparticles were synthesized with a hexagonal close packed (hcp) structure. The unconventional crystalline structure could be stabilized by intensive utilization of hexadecylamine. The dense organic layer on the surface protected the meta-stable crystalline structure.

Gold nanoparticles-based colorimetric assay for cathepsin B activity and the efficiency of its inhibitors.

Cathepsin B has been suggested to be a prognostic marker of melanoma, glioma, and a variety of cancers such as brain, breast, colon, esophageal, gastric, lung, ovarian, and thyroid cancers. Cathepsin B inhibitors have also been considered as anticancer drug candidates; hence, there has been a growing need for a probe which enables the selective and simple detection of cathepsin B and its inhibitors. For the purpose of selective assay, a cathepsin B-specific substrate, N,N'-diBoc-dityrosine-glycine-phenylalanine-3-(methylthio)propylamine (DBDY-Gly-Phe-MTPA) was synthesized in this study. Phe-MTPA, which was produced via cathepsin B-catalyzed hydrolysis of DBDY-Gly-Phe-MTPA, allowed aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) leading to a color change from red to blue. When tested for cathepsins B, L, and S, this assay method exhibited AuNPs color change only in reaction to cathepsin B. The limits of detection for cathepsin B was 10 and 5 nM in the 1 and 2 h hydrolysis reactions, respectively. The efficiency of cathepsin B inhibitors such as leupeptin, antipain, and chymostatin was easily compared by the degree of color change. Moreover, IC50 values of leupeptin, antipain, and chymostatin were found to be 0.11, 0.48, and 1.78 µM, respectively, which were similar to the results of previous studies. Therefore the colorimetric assay of cathepsin B and cathepsin B inhibitors using DBDY-Gly-Phe-MTPA and AuNPs allowed not only the selective but also the simple assay of cathepsin B and its inhibitors, which was possible with the naked eye.

In situ shaping of Pt nanoparticles directly overgrown on carbon supports.

Pt cubes immobilized on carbon supports were synthesized by a one pot process in the presence of anchoring agents. The anchoring agents provide nucleating sites on the support, and also act as shape-controlling agents. In situ shaped cubic Pt/C showed superior activity and long-term stability for oxygen reduction reaction without an organic removal process.

A distinct platinum growth mode on shaped gold nanocrystals.

An ultralow amount of platinum can be deposited on the gold surface using copper underpotential deposition and galvanic exchange. The platinum tended to deposit as layers on the octahedral gold nanocrystals with an Au(111) surface, while it aggregated and formed small particles on the cubic gold nanocrystals with an Au(100) surface.

Top-down shaping of metal nanoparticles in solution: partially etched Au@Pt nanoparticles with unique morphology.

Metallic nanoparticles with a unique morphology were produced by combining bottom-up nucleation/growth and top-down etching for Au core-Pt shell nanoparticles. Interesting optical and electrocatalytic properties were observed for the newly formed shapes.

Chemical and thermal stability of Pt nanocubes synthesized with various surface-capping agents.

Pt nanocubes with a size of below 10 nm were synthesized by using various surface-capping agents of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB), and oleylamine with high shape purity. TGA and XPS data revealed the amount and characteristics of the residual organic molecules on the surface of Pt nanocubes. Chemical and thermal stability of these nanoparticles were examined by observing the change of cubic shape upon heating under different chemical environments of N2, H2 and air. The shape change such as rounding of the vertexes or aggregation depended on the type of surface-capping agent and chemical environments. The cubic shape generally started to deform at 200 degrees C and the nanoparticles were mostly fused together at 300 degrees C. The thermal treatment under air produced more PtO layer on the surface with less shape deformation or aggregation when compared with H2 or N2 treatments. Among three surface-capping agents used in this study, oleylamine-capped Pt nanocubes show the highest shape stability with no shape change or aggregation even at 300 degrees C under air.

Surface-specific overgrowth of platinum on shaped gold nanocrystals.

Controlling the shape and composition of metal nanocrystals can be beneficial for tuning the optical or catalytic properties in a variety of applications. In this study, surface-specific overgrowth of platinum was found on shaped gold nanocrystals of cubes, octahedra and spheres. Platinum overgrowth was observed on the planar faces of gold cubes, while the overgrowth occurred at the vertices of gold octahedra, indicating that platinum was selectively reduced on the Au (100) surface for each gold nanocrystal shape. The platinum nuclei covered the entire surface for gold spheres, which don't have well-defined surfaces. As the Pt/Au ratio increased, a full platinum shell was formed. Solution-based UV-Vis absorption spectra of the composite nanocrystals showed that the absorption peak was red-shifted with increasing platinum coverage. The optical response of a single composite nanocrystal was measured by dark field microscope, which also demonstrated a red shift in the scattering spectrum with increasing platinum coverage. The extent of a red shift depended on the shape and composition of the composite nanocrystals.