Hydrogen is a promising fossil-fuel alternative fuel
owing to its
environmentally neutral emissions and high energy density. However,
the need for purified water and external power are critical hindrances
to the implementation of hydrogen production. The present work demonstrates
the potential to overcome these shortcomings through piezo-photocatalysis
of seawater using defective BaTiO3–x
(BTO) nanoparticles. This material was made piezoelectrically active
by a straightforward annealing process under different atmospheres,
including O2, N2, Ar, or H2, the
latter of which caused Ti4+ → Ti(4–x)+ multiple reductions and structural distortions
that stabilize piezoelectric tetragonal domains. A suite of experimental
techniques was employed to reveal the effects of reduction on the
energy band structure. A substantial piezoelectric effect and the
presence of self-polarization were confirmed by piezoresponse force
microscopy, while simulation work clarified the role of vibrations
on band bending deriving from the self-polarization. The hydrogen
evolution through photocatalysis, piezocatalysis, and piezo-photocatalysis
over the defective BaTiO3–x
nanoparticles
was characterized with deionized (DI) water, simulated seawater, and
natural seawater. A promising HER with a rate of 132.4 μmol/g/h
was achieved using DI water through piezo-photocatalysis without a
cocatalyst. In contrast, a substantial HER rate of 48.7 μmol/g/h
was obtained for natural seawater, despite the deleterious impact
of dissolved ions. The present work offers new perspectives for large-scale
green H2 production using abundant natural resources with
a conventional piezoelectric material that is readily available but
still affected by the ions dissolved in seawater.
A composite was prepared by hot-pressing a polysulfide polymer in the presence of gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The polymer was prepared by the direct copolymerisation of elemental sulfur and canola oil and...
In article number https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.201800024 Justin Chalker and co‐workers prepare a sustainable oil sorbent from waste cooking oil and sulfur, a by‐product of petroleum refining. The sorbent absorbs crude oil upon contact and forms an aggregate that can be removed by skimming or filtration. The oil can be recovered by mechanical compression and the polymer can be re‐used. The study is an advance in waste valorisation and environmental remediation.
Platinum single-atom catalysts (PtSACs) on 3D support are emerging as new frontier in catalysis due to their atom-economy, outstanding performance and the advantage to bridge the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Here we report on a simple, single-step electrochemical grafting attachment of a metal-selective ligand, 2,6:2’,2”-terpyridine, and the synthesis of platinum single-atom electrocatalyst via metal uptake from aqueous salt solution. At an ultra-low loading of 0.26 ±0.02 μgcm-2 of platinum, the single atom catalysts supported on porous 3D carbon cloth electrode via chemical bonding revealed the highest reported mass activity of 77.1 AgPt-1 at η = 50 mV/RHE compared to the commercial catalyst 20 % Pt/C. The electro-grafted terpyridine ligand can also act as an effective scavenger for leached platinum from the counter electrode during extended operational hours. The method to make the PtSAC is facile, non-hazardous and versatile without involving any elaborative pre- and/or post-treatment steps and, the value of the added platinum to the ligand is only 0.1 US$m-2.
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