Compression Stress-Induced Internal Magnetic Field in Bulky TiO2 Photoanodes for Enhancing Charge-Carrier Dynamics.

Enhancing charge-carrier dynamics is imperative to achieve efficient photoelectrodes for practical photoelectrochemical devices. However, a convincing explanation and answer for the important question which has thus far been absent relates to the precise mechanism of charge-carrier generation by solar light in photoelectrodes. Herein, to exclude the interference of complex multi-components and nanostructuring, we fabricate bulky TiO2 photoanodes through physical vapor deposition. Integrating photoelectrochemical measurements and in situ characterizations, the photoinduced holes and electrons are transiently stored and promptly transported around the oxygen-bridge bonds and 5-coordinated Ti atoms to form polarons on the boundaries of TiO2 grains, respectively. Most importantly, we also find that compressive stress-induced internal magnetic field can drastically enhance the charge-carrier dynamics for the TiO2 photoanode, including directional separation and transport of charge carriers and an increase of surface polarons. As a result, bulky TiO2 photoanode with high compressive stress displays a high charge-separation efficiency and an excellent charge-injection efficiency, leading to 2 orders of magnitude higher photocurrent than that produced by a classic TiO2 photoanode. This work not only provides a fundamental understanding of the charge-carrier dynamics of the photoelectrodes but also provides a new paradigm for designing efficient photoelectrodes and controlling the dynamics of charge carriers.

Photoelectrochemical N2 -to-NH3 Fixation with High Efficiency and Rates via Optimized Si-Based System at Positive Potential versus Li0/.

As a widely used commodity chemical, ammonia is critical for producing nitrogen-containing fertilizers and serving as the promising zero-carbon energy carrier. Photoelectrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (PEC NRR) can provide a solar-powered green and sustainable route for synthesis of ammonia (NH3 ). Herein, an optimum PEC system is reported with an Si-based hierarchically-structured PdCu/TiO2 /Si photocathode and well-thought-out trifluoroethanol as the proton source for lithium-mediated PEC NRR, achieving a record high NH3 yield of 43.09 µg cm-2 h-1 and an excellent faradaic efficiency of 46.15% under 0.12 MPa O2 and 3.88 MPa N2 at 0.07 V versus lithium(0/+) redox couple (vs Li0/+ ). PEC measurements coupled with operando characterization reveal that the PdCu/TiO2 /Si photocathode under N2 pressures facilitate the reduction of N2 to form lithium nitride (Li3 N), which reacts with active protons to produce NH3 while releasing the Li+ to reinitiate the cycle of the PEC NRR. The Li-mediated PEC NRR process is further enhanced by introducing small amount of O2 or CO2 under pressure by accelerating the decomposition of Li3 N. For the first time, this work provides mechanistic understanding of the lithium-mediated PEC NRR process and opens new avenues for efficient solar-powered green conversion of N2 -to-NH3 .

Role of the redox state of cerium oxide on glycine adsorption: an experimental and theoretical study.

The role of the oxidation state of cerium cations in a thin oxide film in the adsorption, geometry, and thermal stability of glycine molecules was studied. The experimental study was performed for a submonolayer molecular coverage deposited in vacuum on CeO2(111)/Cu(111) and Ce2O3(111)/Cu(111) films by photoelectron and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopies and supported by ab initio calculations for prediction of the adsorbate geometries, C 1s and N 1s core binding energies of glycine, and some possible products of the thermal decomposition. The molecules adsorbed on the oxide surfaces at 25 °C in the anionic form via the carboxylate oxygen atoms bound to cerium cations. A third bonding point through the amino group was observed for the glycine adlayers on CeO2. In the course of stepwise annealing of the molecular adlayers on CeO2 and Ce2O3, the surface chemistry and decomposition products were analyzed and found to relate to different reactivities of glycinate on Ce4+ and Ce3+ cations, observed as two dissociation channels via C-N and C-C bond scission, respectively. The oxidation state of cerium cations in the oxide was shown to be an important factor, which defines the properties, electronic structure, and thermal stability of the molecular adlayer.

Size dependent electronic structure of LiFePO4 probed using X-ray absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopy.

We present the combined Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigation of the electronic structure and local site symmetry of Fe in olivine structured LiFePO4 (LFP) with crystallite size (CS). The lattice parameters are found to contract with a decrease in CS, monotonously, whereas the electronic structural parameters exhibit two different regions with a threshold anomaly of around ≈30 nm. 57Fe Mössbauer studies reveal the coexistence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ sites and their relative concentrations are mainly determined by CS, which provides a comprehensive insight into the electronic structure of LFP at the mesoscopic level. The soft X-ray absorption unequivocally unravels the valence states of Fe 3d electrons in proximity to the Fermi level, which are prone to the local lattice distortion. The obtained spectra fingerprint the effect of CS supplying rich information on valency, lithium-ion vacancy concentration, covalency and crystal field. By comparing the spectra with the results of charge-transfer multiplet calculations, which include the full-atomic multiplet theory, we have found that the local symmetry of Fe ions is well described by the D4h point group with intermixing between eg and t2g orbitals. The unique structural and electronic properties of LFP are closely interlinked with changes in the bonding character, which shows the strong dependency on CS. The evolution of 3d states is in overall agreement with the local lattice distortion and provides the origin of the size effects on the electronic structure of olivine phosphate and other transition metal ion-containing materials.

Redox-mediated C-C bond scission in alcohols adsorbed on CeO2-xthin films.

The decomposition mechanisms of ethanol and ethylene glycol on well-ordered stoichiometric CeO2(111) and partially reduced CeO2-x(111) films were investigated by means of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy, resonant photoemission spectroscopy, and temperature programmed desorption. Both alcohols partially deprotonate upon adsorption at 150 K and subsequent annealing yielding stable ethoxy and ethylenedioxy species. The C-C bond scission in both ethoxy and ethylenedioxy species on stoichiometric CeO2(111) involves formation of acetaldehyde-like intermediates and yields CO and CO2accompanied by desorption of acetaldehyde, H2O, and H2. This decomposition pathway leads to the formation of oxygen vacancies. In the presence of oxygen vacancies, C-O bond scission in ethoxy species yields C2H4. In contrast, C-C bond scission in ethylenedioxy species on the partially reduced CeO2-x(111) is favored with respect to C-O bond scission and yields methanol, formaldehyde, and CO accompanied by the desorption of H2O and H2. Still, scission of C-O bonds on both sides of the ethylenedioxy species yields minor amounts of accompanying C2H4and C2H2. C-O bond scission is coupled with a partial recovery of the lattice oxygen in competition with its removal in the form of water.

Effect of the Titanium Self-Intercalation on the Electronic Structure of TiSe2.

The effect of the superstoichiometric Ti intercalation on the electronic structure of TiSe2 was studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in nonresonant and resonant modes along with the DOS (density of states) calculations. It was shown that the presence of the Ti atoms in the interlayer space leads to the formation of the Ti 3dz2/Ti 3dz2 hybridized band between the Ti atoms in the regular lattice positions and Ti atoms in the interlayer space. The charge transfer to the conduction band was not observed in this case.

Cobalt Oxide-Supported Pt Electrocatalysts: Intimate Correlation between Particle Size, Electronic Metal-Support Interaction and Stability.

Oxide supports can modify and stabilize platinum nanoparticles (NPs) in electrocatalytic materials. We studied related phenomena on model systems consisting of Pt NPs on atomically defined Co3O4(111) thin films. Chemical states and dissolution behavior of model catalysts were investigated as a function of the particle size and the electrochemical potential by ex situ emersion synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and by online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) yields partially oxidized Ptδ+ species at the metal/support interface of metallic nanometer-sized Pt NPs. In contrast, subnanometer particles form Ptδ+ aggregates that are exclusively accompanied by subsurface Pt4+ species. Dissolution of Cox+ ions is strongly coupled to the presence of Ptδ+ and the reduction of subsurface Pt4+ species. Our findings suggest that EMSI directly affects the integrity of oxide-based electrocatalysts and may be employed to stabilize Pt NPs against sintering and dissolution.

Charge transfer and spillover phenomena in ceria-supported iridium catalysts: A model study.

Iridium-based materials are among the most active bifunctional catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis. We have investigated the properties of atomically defined Ir/CeO2(111) model systems supported on Cu(111) and Ru(0001) by means of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy, resonant photoemission spectroscopy, near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP XPS), scanning tunneling microscopy, and temperature programmed desorption. Electronic metal-support interactions in the Ir/CeO2(111) system are accompanied by charge transfer and partial reduction of CeO2(111). The magnitude of the charge transfer depends strongly on the Ir coverage. The Ir/CeO2(111) system is stable against sintering upon annealing to 600 K in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). Annealing of Ir/CeO2(111) in UHV triggers the reverse oxygen spillover above 450 K. The interaction of hydrogen with Ir/CeO2(111) involves hydrogen spillover and reversible spillover between 100 and 400 K accompanied by the formation of water above 190 K. Formation of water coupled with the strong reduction of CeO2(111) represents the dominant reaction channel upon annealing in H2 above 450 K. The interaction of Ir/CeO2(111) with oxygen has been investigated at moderate and NAP conditions. Additionally, the formation and stability of iridium oxide prepared by deposition of Ir in oxygen atmosphere was investigated upon annealing in UHV and under exposure to H2. The oxidation of Ir nanoparticles under NAP conditions yields stable IrOx nanoparticles. The stability of Ir and IrOx nanoparticles under oxidizing conditions is hampered, however, by encapsulation by cerium oxide above 450 K and additionally by copper and ruthenium oxides under NAP conditions.

Quantitative Analysis of the Oxidation State of Cobalt Oxides by Resonant Photoemission Spectroscopy.

Quantitative assessment of the charge transfer phenomena in cobalt oxides and cobalt complexes is essential for the design of advanced catalytic materials. We propose a method for the evaluation of the oxidation state of cobalt oxides with mixed valence states using resonant photoemission spectroscopy. The method is based on the calculation of the resonant enhancement ratio (RER) from the heights of the resonant features associated with the Co3+ and Co2+ states. The nature of the corresponding states was corroborated by means of density functional calculations. We employed a well-ordered Co3O4(111) film to calibrate the RER with respect to the atomic Co3+/Co2+ ratio. The method was applied to monitor the reduction of a well-ordered Co3O4(111) film to CoO(111) upon annealing under exposure to isopropanol. We demonstrate that this method yields the stoichiometry of cobalt oxides at a level of accuracy that cannot be achieved when fitting the Co 2p core level spectra.

Interfacial Reactions of Tetraphenylporphyrin with Cobalt-Oxide Thin Films.

We have studied the adsorption and interfacial reactions of 2H-tetraphenylporphyrin (2HTPP) with cobalt-terminated Co3 O4 (111) and oxygen-terminated CoO(111) thin films using synchrotron-radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Already at 275 K, we find evidence for the formation of a metalated species, most likely CoTPP, on both surfaces. The degree of self-metalation increases with temperature on both surfaces until 475 K, where the metalation is almost complete. At 575 K the porphyrin coverage decreases drastically on the reducible cobalt-terminated Co3 O4 (111) surface, while higher temperatures are needed on the non-reducible oxygen-terminated CoO(111). The low temperature self-metalation is similar to that observed on MgO(100) surfaces, but drastically different from that observed on TiO2 (110), where no self-metalation is observed at room temperature.

Room-Temperature Atomic-Layer-Deposited Al2 O3 Improves the Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells over Time.

Electrical characterisation of perovskite solar cells consisting of room-temperature atomic-layer-deposited aluminium oxide (RT-ALD-Al2 O3 ) film on top of a methyl ammonium lead triiodide (CH3 NH3 PbI3 ) absorber showed excellent stability of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) over a long time. Under the same environmental conditions (for 355 d), the average PCE of solar cells without the ALD layer decreased from 13.6 to 9.6 %, whereas that of solar cells containing 9 ALD cycles of depositing RT-ALD-Al2 O3 on top of CH3 NH3 PbI3 increased from 9.4 to 10.8 %. Spectromicroscopic investigations of the ALD/perovskite interface revealed that the maximum PCE with the ALD layer is obtained when the so-called perovskite cleaning process induced by ALD precursors is complete. The PCE enhancement over time is probably related to a self-healing process induced by the RT-ALD-Al2 O3 film. This work may provide a new direction for further improving the long-term stability and performance of perovskite solar cells.

Electrifying model catalysts for understanding electrocatalytic reactions in liquid electrolytes.

Electrocatalysis is at the heart of our future transition to a renewable energy system. Most energy storage and conversion technologies for renewables rely on electrocatalytic processes and, with increasing availability of cheap electrical energy from renewables, chemical production will witness electrification in the near future1-3. However, our fundamental understanding of electrocatalysis lags behind the field of classical heterogeneous catalysis that has been the dominating chemical technology for a long time. Here, we describe a new strategy to advance fundamental studies on electrocatalytic materials. We propose to 'electrify' complex oxide-based model catalysts made by surface science methods to explore electrocatalytic reactions in liquid electrolytes. We demonstrate the feasibility of this concept by transferring an atomically defined platinum/cobalt oxide model catalyst into the electrochemical environment while preserving its atomic surface structure. Using this approach, we explore particle size effects and identify hitherto unknown metal-support interactions that stabilize oxidized platinum at the nanoparticle interface. The metal-support interactions open a new synergistic reaction pathway that involves both metallic and oxidized platinum. Our results illustrate the potential of the concept, which makes available a systematic approach to build atomically defined model electrodes for fundamental electrocatalytic studies.

Structure-Dependent Dissociation of Water on Cobalt Oxide.

Understanding the correlation between structure and reactivity of oxide surfaces is vital for the rational design of catalytic materials. In this work, we demonstrate the exceptional degree of structure sensitivity of the water dissociation reaction for one of the most important materials in catalysis and electrocatalysis. We studied H2O on two atomically defined cobalt oxide surfaces, CoO(100) and Co3O4(111). Both surfaces are terminated by O2- and Co2+ in different coordination. By infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy and synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy we show that H2O adsorbs molecularly on CoO(100), while it dissociates and forms very strongly bound OH and partially dissociated (H2O) n(OH) m clusters on Co3O4(111). We rationalize this structure dependence by the coordination number of surface Co2+. Our results show that specific well-ordered cobalt oxide surfaces interact very strongly with H2O whereas others do not. We propose that this structure dependence plays a key role in catalysis with cobalt oxide nanomaterials.

An experimental and theoretical study of adenine adsorption on Au(111).

A model study of adenine adsorption on the Au(111) surface is reported for molecular adlayers prepared by evaporation in vacuum and deposition from saturated aqueous solution. The electronic structure and adsorption geometry of the molecular films were studied experimentally by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Adsorption models are proposed for the adlayers arising from the different preparation methods. Density functional theory calculations were used to examine both parallel and upright adenine adsorption geometries, supply additional information on the bond strength, and identify which atom is involved in bonding to Au(111). In the case of deposition in vacuum, the adenine molecule is bound via van der Waals forces to Au(111) with the molecular plane parallel to the surface, consistent with the published scanning tunneling microscopy data on this system. The most stable parallel adenine configuration was found to have an adsorption energy of ca. -1.1 eV using the optB86b-vdW functional. For adenine deposition from aqueous solution, the adlayer is disordered, with molecules in an upright geometry, and with an adsorption energy of ca. -1.0 eV, coordinated via the imino N3 nitrogen atom. The present study contributes to the substantial literature of model studies of adenine on Au(111), complementing the existing knowledge with information on electronic structure, bonding geometry and adsorption energy of this system.

Interfacial interactions between CoTPP molecules and MgO(100) thin films.

We have investigated the interactions between cobalt(ii)-tetraphenylporphyrin (CoTPP) molecules and MgO(100) thin films on Ag(100) by means of Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray and Ultra-Violet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (SR-XPS and SR-UPS). At room temperature, the CoTPP monolayer consists of two different species. A minority of molecules exhibits a strong electronic interaction with the substrate, whereas for the majority a similar spectroscopic signature as for multilayer molecules is observed. Based on the lateral inhomogeneity of the surface electronic structure, we tentatively suggest that the strongly interacting molecules adsorb with their metal center directly above oxygen ions. Unlike for metal substrates, where a monolayer can be prepared upon heating to above 500 K, most of the monolayer on MgO desorbs at 550 K together with the multilayers. This indicates either a weaker molecule-substrate bond than for most metal surfaces or a higher activation energy barrier for dehydrogenation. The remaining molecules are presumably MgTPP molecules, originating from a 2HTPP impurity in CoTPP.

Reactivity of atomically dispersed Pt(2+) species towards H2: model Pt-CeO2 fuel cell catalyst.

The reactivity of atomically dispersed Pt(2+) species on the surface of nanostructured CeO2 films and the mechanism of H2 activation on these sites have been investigated by means of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and resonant photoemission spectroscopy in combination with density functional calculations. Isolated Pt(2+) sites are found to be inactive towards H2 dissociation due to high activation energy required for H-H bond scission. Trace amounts of metallic Pt are necessary to initiate H2 dissociation on Pt-CeO2 films. H2 dissociation triggers the reduction of Ce(4+) cations which, in turn, is coupled with the reduction of Pt(2+) species. The mechanism of Pt(2+) reduction involves reverse oxygen spillover and formation of oxygen vacancies on Pt-CeO2 films. Our calculations suggest the existence of a threshold concentration of oxygen vacancies associated with the onset of Pt(2+) reduction.

Counting electrons on supported nanoparticles.

Electronic interactions between metal nanoparticles and oxide supports control the functionality of nanomaterials, for example, the stability, the activity and the selectivity of catalysts. Such interactions involve electron transfer across the metal/support interface. In this work we quantify this charge transfer on a well-defined platinum/ceria catalyst at particle sizes relevant for heterogeneous catalysis. Combining synchrotron-radiation photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy and density functional calculations we show that the charge transfer per Pt atom is largest for Pt particles of around 50 atoms. Here, approximately one electron is transferred per ten Pt atoms from the nanoparticle to the support. For larger particles, the charge transfer reaches its intrinsic limit set by the support. For smaller particles, charge transfer is partially suppressed by nucleation at defects. These mechanistic and quantitative insights into charge transfer will help to make better use of particle size effects and electronic metal-support interactions in metal/oxide nanomaterials.

Adenine adlayers on Cu(111): XPS and NEXAFS study.

The adsorption of adenine on Cu(111) was studied by photoelectron and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Disordered molecular films were deposited by means of physical vapor deposition on the substrate at room temperature. Adenine chemisorbs on the Cu(111) surface with strong rehybridization of the molecular orbitals and the Cu 3d states. Annealing at 150 °C caused the desorption of weakly bonded molecules accompanied by formation of a short-range ordered molecular adlayer. The interface is characterized by the formation of new states in the valence band at 1.5, 7, and 9 eV. The present work complements and refines existing knowledge of adenine interaction with this surface. The coverage is not the main parameter that defines the adenine geometry and adsorption properties on Cu(111). Excess thermal energy can further rearrange the molecular adlayer and, independent of the initial coverage, the flat lying stable molecular adlayer is formed.

Functionalisation and immobilisation of an Au(110) surface via uracil and 2-thiouracil anchored layer.

We study surface functionalisation by uracil and 2-thiouracil, and immobilisation of several DNA moieties on functionalised gold surfaces. The combination of X-ray photoelectron and near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy allowed us to obtain a complete understanding of complex interfacial processes, starting from adsorption of biomolecules onto the metallic surface and progressing towards a specific surface functionality for interactions with other biologically related adsorbates. Au(110) surfaces were functionalised by deposition of uracil and 2-thiouracil molecules under vacuum conditions, and then tested for their selectivity by immobilisation of different DNA moieties deposited from aqueous solutions. We observed that adenine, adenosine, and RNA polymer (polyadenylic acid) from saturated solutions were immobilized successfully on the 2-thiouracil, but those from dilute (1%) solutions were not. However, cytosine failed to adsorb even from saturated solution. The chemical states of the biologically related adsorbates were investigated and the geometrical orientation of uracil and 2-thiouracil on the Au(110) surface was determined using both spectroscopic techniques.

Functionalization of nanostructured cerium oxide films with histidine.

The surfaces of polycrystalline cerium oxide films were modified by histidine adsorption under vacuum and characterized by the synchrotron based techniques of core and valence level photoemission, resonant photoemission and near edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, as well as atomic force microscopy. Histidine is strongly bound to the oxide surface in the anionic form through the deprotonated carboxylate group, and forms a disordered molecular adlayer. The imidazole ring and the amino side group do not form bonds with the substrate but are involved in the intermolecular hydrogen bonding which stabilizes the molecular adlayer. The surface reaction with histidine results in water desorption accompanied by oxide reduction, which is propagated into the bulk of the film. Previously studied, well-characterized surfaces are a guide to the chemistry of the present polycrystalline surface and histidine bonds via the carboxylate group in both cases. In contrast, bonding via the imidazole group occurs on the well-ordered surface but not in the present case. The morphology and structure of the cerium oxide are decisive factors which define the adsorption geometry of the histidine adlayer.