Promoting Active Species Generation by Plasmon-Induced Hot-Electron Excitation for Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

Abstract

Water splitting represents a promising technology for renewable energy conversion and storage, but it is greatly hindered by the kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Here, using Au-nanoparticle-decorated Ni(OH)2 nanosheets [Ni(OH)2-Au] as catalysts, we demonstrate that the photon-induced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation on Au nanoparticles could significantly activate the OER catalysis, specifically achieving a more than 4-fold enhanced activity and meanwhile affording a markedly decreased overpotential of 270 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm(-2) and a small Tafel slope of 35 mV dec(-1) (no iR-correction), which is much better than those of the benchmark IrO2 and RuO2, as well as most Ni-based OER catalysts reported to date. The synergy of the enhanced generation of Ni(III/IV) active species and the improved charge transfer, both induced by hot-electron excitation on Au nanoparticles, is proposed to account for such a markedly increased activity. The SPR-enhanced OER catalysis could also be observed over cobalt oxide (CoO)-Au and iron oxy-hydroxide (FeOOH)-Au catalysts, suggesting the generality of this strategy. These findings highlight the possibility of activating OER catalysis by plasmonic excitation and could open new avenues toward the design of more-energy-efficient catalytic water oxidation systems with the assistance of light energy.

Ultrasmall MoOx Clusters as a Novel Cocatalyst for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

“…Photoexcitation leads to the absorption at λ = 455 nm, indicating instantaneous transfer of electrons from CB to lower energy levels (Figure 4b,c). [42,43] Based on the experimental results above, a tentative mechanism of the promotive effect of the MoO x cluster cocatalyst is hypothesized ( Figure S14, Supporting Information). TA kinetic decay traces of the samples are featured by initial signal build-ups within 10 ps and subsequent recovery processes with different durations (Figure 4d).…”

Recent Progress on Layered Double Hydroxides and Their Derivatives for Electrocatalytic Water Splitting

“…Therefore, low‐cost, highly efficient, and stable long‐term electrocatalysts for water splitting are needed. Currently, transition‐metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, and Mo)‐based catalysts including metal oxides,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 hydroxides,31, 32, 33, 34, 35 phosphides,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 sulfides,43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 selenides,49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and nitrides55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 have been highlighted as the most promising candidates of OER and HER electrocatalysts. Especially, layered double hydroxides (LDHs)63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 and their derivatives (metal hydroxides, oxyhydroxides, oxides, bimetal nitrides, phosphides, sulfides, and selenides)86, 87, 88, 89, 9...…”

Regulating the active species of Ni(OH)2 using CeO2: 3D CeO2/Ni(OH)2/carbon foam as an efficient electrode for the oxygen evolution reaction

“…20 Another key reason for the extensive study of Ni(OH) 2 is that the high oxidation state of Ni III/IV can serve as an active species for OER catalysts. 24 For example, Ye et al prepared a Ni(OH) 2 –Au hybrid as an OER catalyst, and a significantly enhanced OER performance was exhibited by enhancing the generation of the Ni III/IV active species. However, the poor kinetics and mass-transferability of Ni(OH) 2 as an electrocatalyst for the OER still limit its further development for practical applications.…”