B, N Co-Doping Sequence: An Efficient Electronic Modulation of the Pd/MXene Interface with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties for Ethanol Electrooxidation

Abstract

Improving the electrocatalytic properties by regulating the surface electronic structure of supported metals has always been a hot issue in electrocatalysis. Herein, two novel catalysts Pd/B–N–Ti3C2 and Pd/N–B–Ti3C2 are used as the models to explore the effect of the B and N co-doping sequence on the surface electronic structure of metals, together with the electrocatalytic properties of ethanol oxidation reaction. The two catalysts exhibit obviously stratified morphology, and the Pd nanoparticles having the same amount are both uniformly distributed on the surface. However, the electron binding energy of Ti and Pd elements of Pd/B–N–Ti3C2 is smaller than that of Pd/N–B–Ti3C2. By exploring the electrocatalytic properties for EOR, it can be seen that all the electrochemical surface area, maximum peak current density, and antitoxicity of the Pd/B–N–Ti3C2 catalyst are much better than its counterpart. Such different properties of the catalysts can be attributed to the various doping species of B and N introduced by the doping sequence, which significantly affect the surface electronic structure and size distribution of supported metal Pd. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that different B-doped species can offer sites for the H atom from CH3CH2OH of dehydrogenation in Pd/B–N–Ti3C2, thereby facilitating the progress of the EOR to a favorable pathway. This work provides a new insight into synthesizing the high-performance anode materials for ethanol fuel cells by regulating the supported metal catalyst with multielement doping.

Recent advances of structural/interfacial engineering for Na metal anode protection in liquid/solid-state electrolytes

“…In this process, the size difference between Na atom and Na + is an important reason for the volume change of Na anodes. 47,48 The volume change of solid metal is significantly higher than that of traditional graphite intercalation materials. Traditional intercalation materials will provide a specific space to accommodate Na + , while the electrochemical process of sodium metal electrode takes place on the anode surface.…”

An in situ phase transformation induced mesoporous heterointerface for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

“…Hydrogen is considered a clean and versatile energy carrier, [1][2][3][4][5] and its production through water electrolysis, driven by renewable energy sources, offers a promising solution to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate environmental impact. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a crucial process in the eld of hydrogen production, which takes place at the cathode, where protons form hydrogen gas. HER can occur in both acidic and alkaline environments.…”

Charge–orbital synergistic engineering of TM@Ti3C2O1−xBx for highly selective CO2 electrochemical reduction

“…The SACs of single atoms fixed on the Ti 3 C 2 T x mixed functional group surface have been successfully synthesized experimentally. 52,53 In particular, the B atom has been successfully introduced into Ti 3 C 2 T x to replace the O functional group on its surface 54 and the single Ru atom anchored on the B-doped Ti 3 C 2 T x exhibited outstanding performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). 55 Relevant reported results provide valuable information for studying the synergistic effect of TM and B atoms on the CO 2 RR performance of Ti 3 C 2 T x -based SACs.…”