The Role of Surface Curvature in Electrocatalysts

Abstract

Excessive consumption of fossil fuels has caused unavoidable environmental problems. The development of renewable and clean alternatives is essential for the sustainable and green development of human society. Electrocatalysts are most important parts in these energy-related devices. Recently, scientists found that the surface curvature of electrocatalysts could play an important role for the improvement of catalytic performance and the optimization of intrinsic catalytic activity during electrocatalytic process. The role of surface curvature in electrocatalysts is still under investigating. In this minireview, we summarized the latest progress of electrocatalysts with different surface curvatures and their applications in energy-related applications. This review mainly involves the strategies for preparation of electrocatalysts with different surface curvatures, three typical electrocatalysts with different surface curvatures (curled surface, onion-like structure, and spiral structure), and the potential mechanisms that surface curvature in electrocatalysts affects activities.

Surface Curvature Effect on Dual-Atom Site Oxygen Electrocatalysis

“…The effects of inter-site distance and surface curvature on electrocatalytic activity have been discovered recently. [21][22][23] On the one hand, the previously reported surface curvature effect mimics the well-known strain effect. 24 On the other hand, to the best of our knowledge, the surface curvature effect that enhances dual-atom site catalysis remains unknown.…”

Surface Curvature Effect on Dual-Atom Site Oxygen Electrocatalysis

“…The general effects of intersite distance and surface curvature on electrocatalytic activity have been discovered just recently. − On the one hand, the previously reported surface curvature effect mimics the well-known strain effect . On the other hand, to the best of our knowledge, the surface curvature effect that enhances dual-atom site catalysis and goes beyond the scaling relations remains unknown.…”

Stability Issues in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction: Recent Advances in Fundamental Understanding and Design Strategies

“…[ 40 ] The nanostructures with high curvature locate at high energy state due to rich low‐coordination sites, and they are usually vulnerable under electrochemical conditions. [ 41 ] The fast evolution of star‐like branched CuO into smooth nanoparticles during CO 2 RR was clearly observed. [ 42 ] With respect to well‐defined nanocrystals like Cu nanocubes, atomic migration and surface reconstruction generally appear preferentially at edge or corner sites with high curvature and high surface energy.…”