Recent progress in self-supported nanoarrays with diverse substrates for water splitting and beyond

Electrocatalytic water splitting plays a paramount importance role in hydrogen production as a green renewable energy technology. Therefore, development of highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction has gained great interest. Self-supported nanoarray electrocatalysts are attracting intense attention owing to larger active areas and lower reaction overpotential than the freestanding particles. Herein, the recent progress with regard to self-supported nanoarray electrocatalysts for water splitting is systematically overviewed, with a special focus on the morphology including 1D, 2D, and heterostructure nanoarrays, as well as the design and preparation strategy of the substrates. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities of self-supported nanoarray electrocatalysts for water splitting are also discussed. Moreover, the promising application of self-supported nanoarray electrocatalysts in CO2 reduction reaction and nitrogen reduction reaction is also investigated. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Electrocatalytic water splitting is essential for hydrogen production, and self-supported nanoarray electrocatalysts have shown promise due to their larger active areas and lower overpotential. Recent advances in morphology and substrate design, as well as potential applications in CO2 reduction and nitrogen reduction reactions, have been systematically overviewed.