Article
Engineering, Environmental
Changliang Du, Youqi Zhu, Xinyu Yang, Zhao Lv, Jiachen Tian, Xiao Pei, Xin Liu, Xilan Ma, Jianhua Hou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: By in-situ anion substitution with heavy element tellurium, lattice expansion is achieved to improve the lithium ion storage performance of Cu7.2S4 nanotube cathode, delivering high discharge capacity of 354.1 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1) and remarkable rate capability of 85.1 mAh g(-1) at large current loading of 2.0 A g(-1). The reinforced Te-substitution generates lattice expansion and effectively adjusts the Mg2+ storage reaction, leading to significant improvement in Mg2+ storage performances of Te-substituted Cu7.2S4 nanotube, which holds great potential in electrode material modification for improving battery chemistry.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chen Qiao, Yingying Hao, Chuanbao Cao, JiaTao Zhang
Summary: As an important semi-reaction process in electrocatalysis, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is closely associated with various reactions such as electrochemical hydrogen production, CO2 electroreduction, and electrochemical ammonia synthesis. Recent observations using in situ characterization technology have identified metastable high-valence metal sites as efficient catalytic sites for OER. This review focuses on the transformation mechanism of high-valence metal sites, particularly in transition metal materials (Co- and Ni-based), and summarizes the research progress in optimizing OER performance through the transformation process and role of high-valence metal sites. The challenges and prospects of designing high-efficiency OER catalysts based on this mechanism and new in situ characterizations are also discussed.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiachen Tian, Youqi Zhu, Xiuyun Yao, Lifen Yang, Changliang Du, Zhao Lv, Minchen Hou, Shaolong Zhang, Xilan Ma, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: This study presents a one-pot chemical vapor deposition strategy to fabricate N-coordinated Fe single-atom (Fe-SA/NC) catalysts for highly effective oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under alkaline conditions. The ferrocene(ii) powder is sublimated into vapor sources, trapped by nitrogen-rich zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), and transformed into isolated Fe-N sites through subsequent pyrolysis. The atomically dispersed Fe species coordinated with nitrogen atoms show superior ORR performance.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xin Liu, Youqi Zhu, Changliang Du, Jiachen Tian, Lifen Yang, Xiuyun Yao, Zhitao Wang, Xilan Ma, Jianhua Hou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: A cation-doping strategy is reported to regulate the electrochemical Mg2+ storage behaviors of Co-doped CuS nanosheet cathodes. With cationic Co-doping, the optimized cathodes exhibit fast electrochemical diffusion kinetics, optimized reversible redox reaction, and enhanced long-term cyclic life. The improved performance can be attributed to the cation-doping effect that efficiently accelerates Mg2+ diffusion kinetics.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiuyun Yao, Youqi Zhu, Tianyu Xia, Zhanli Han, Changliang Du, Lifen Yang, Jiachen Tian, Xilan Ma, Jianhua Hou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: A modified pyrolysis strategy is proposed to tune the carbon defects in copper single-atom catalysts (Cu-SACs), which can enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. The optimized Cu-SACs with controllable carbon defect degree and increased active specific surface area exhibit improved ORR activity and show promising potential for energy applications. The discovery of the positive effect of carbon defects on the ORR activity offers a universal strategy for fabricating high-efficiency single-atom catalysts with superior active sites.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zilong Wu, Xiangyu Liu, Haijing Li, Zhiyi Sun, Maosheng Cao, Zezhou Li, Chaohe Fang, Jihan Zhou, Chuanbao Cao, Juncai Dong, Shenlong Zhao, Zhuo Chen
Summary: Photoelectrochemical water splitting using a CdS-CdSe/MoS2/NiFe layered double hydroxide photoanode shows low potential and large photocurrent gains due to the formation of highly oxidized Ni species under illumination. The as-prepared photoelectrode requires a low potential of 1.001 V for a photocurrent density of 10 mA cm(-2), significantly lower than the theoretical water splitting potential. The generated current density remains at 95% after long-term testing, opening avenues for designing high-efficiency photoelectrochemical catalysts.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Yingying Hao, Chen Qiao, Shuping Zhang, Yibin Zhu, Lei Ji, Chuanbao Cao, Jiatao Zhang
Summary: In this work, cationic vacancy defects were introduced into NiFe-LDH nanosheets using the coordination capacity of tributylphosphine, leading to optimized exposure ability of active sites and improved intrinsic catalytic capacity through tuning local electronic structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed the presence of high-valence Ni and Fe on the surface of the repaired d-NiFe-LDH, which is considered the main reason for the improvement in intrinsic catalytic capacity. Finally, the d-NiFe-LDH nanosheets exhibited excellent catalytic performance and remarkable long-term stability.
ENERGY MATERIAL ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chen Qiao, Zahid Usman, Jie Wei, Lin Gan, Jianhua Hou, Yingying Hao, Youqi Zhu, Jiatao Zhang, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: A catalyst kinetics optimization strategy is proposed based on tuning active site intermediates adsorption. The construction of M-OOH on the catalytic site before the rate-determining step is crucial in this strategy, as it optimizes the overall catalytic kinetics by preventing competition from other intermediates. Through significantly reducing the kinetic energy barrier, M-OOH is formed on the active site at low overpotential, resulting in improved kinetics.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhanli Han, Youqi Zhu, Xiuyun Yao, Hui Peng, Changliang Du, Jiachen Tian, Lifen Yang, Xilan Ma, Jianhua Hou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: Charge regulation on FeN4 sites is achieved through non-bonding interaction of adjacent nitrogen to improve the intrinsic ORR activity of single atomic Fe catalysts. The single atomic Fe catalysts exhibit excellent alkaline ORR activity, with a higher kinetic current density than Pt/C catalysts. The compensation of secondary nitrogen allows for greater Fe loading, sufficient O2 activation sites, and optimized oxygen intermediate adsorption/desorption, leading to enhanced ORR kinetics. Moreover, the single atomic Fe catalysts demonstrate long-term cycling stability and flexibility in both liquid and solid zinc-air batteries.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiuyun Yao, Youqi Zhu, Zhanli Han, Lifen Yang, Jiachen Tian, Tianyu Xia, Hui Peng, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: The formation of isolated Fe sites is investigated through a solvent-mediated oxidative pyrrole polymerization strategy. The slow reaction kinetics of oxidative Fe3+ ions with the predesigned methanol solvent molecules can result in highly dispersed Fe sites in polypyrrole and thus Fe single-atom catalysts after pyrolysis. The Fe single-atom catalyst shows superior oxygen reduction reaction activity and excellent cycling stability in Zn-air batteries.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lifen Yang, Youqi Zhu, Xiuyun Yao, Changliang Du, Zhanli Han, Jiachen Tian, Xin Liu, Xilan Ma, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: This study reports on a new efficient precious-metals-free electrocatalyst Fe-SA/NC, which is constructed by molten salt-assisted pyrolysis to create carbon nanocages with highly atomically dispersed Fe-N4 sites as air cathode. The catalyst exhibits outstanding catalytic activity and cycling stability, and delivers high power density and long-term durability in Znair batteries.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiao Pei, Youqi Zhu, Changliang Du, Hui Peng, Zhitao Wang, Xilan Ma, Jianhua Hou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: Single-crystal Cu(9)S(5) nanorods fabricated via an efficient microwave-assisted synthesis method demonstrate fast ion diffusion, favorable long-term stability, and exceptional rate performance in sodium-ion batteries. This work provides insights for developing high-rate anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xin Liu, Qianwei Zhang, Changliang Du, Xiao Du, Youqi Zhu, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are potential rivals to replace lithium-ion batteries as next-generation energy storage devices. However, the limited choice of high-performance cathode materials hinders the applications of RMBs. Copper chalcogenides have gained attention as prospective electrode materials due to their high theoretical capacity, but the challenge lies in achieving high energy density and rapid kinetics of Mg2+ insertion/extraction. This review presents a comprehensive summary of the reaction mechanisms of copper chalcogenide cathodes for ion storage and highlights five design and modification strategies for enhancing their performance.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yujun Wu, Wei Shuang, Lin Yang, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: An extremely simple one-step pyrolysis method for the synthesis of P,S,N-doped graphene is reported in this study, which is further used as an efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The optimized ternary-doped graphene exhibits excellent ORR catalytic activity favoring the four-electron ORR process and remarkable long-term durability due to the synergistic coupling effect between P, S, and N. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the synergistic coupling effect between doping elements in the ORR process. This work provides a promising approach for the synthesis of P,S,N-doped graphene for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Muhammad Kashif Naseem, Mian Azmat, Changliang Du, Rong Jiang, Youqi Zhu, Meishuai Zou, Chuanbao Cao
Summary: RMBS is considered a promising candidate device for future commercialization due to its theoretically higher volumetric capacity, natural abundance, low cost, dendrite free characteristic, and ecofriendly nature. However, the potential application of RMBS is hindered by the low capabilities caused by the sluggish diffusion kinetics of the highly polarized Mg2+ ions. This study focused on enhancing the diffusion contribution of Mg2+ ions in VS4 cathodic materials by synthesizing nanosized particles and introducing sulfur vacancies through nickel substitution. The results showed significant improvement in the diffusion of Mg2+ ions, leading to enhanced cathodic performance and improved electrochemical properties, making it an effective strategy for developing efficient VS4 cathodes for RMBS.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
