Understanding Surface Modulation to Improve the Photo/Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation/Reduction

Abstract

Water oxidation and reduction reactions play vital roles in highly efficient hydrogen production conducted by an electrolyzer, in which the enhanced efficiency of the system is apparently accompanied by the development of active electrocatalysts. Solar energy, a sustainable and clean energy source, can supply the kinetic energy to increase the rates of catalytic reactions. In this regard, understanding of the underlying fundamental mechanisms of the photo/electrochemical process is critical for future development. Combining light-absorbing materials with catalysts has become essential to maximizing the efficiency of hydrogen production. To fabricate an efficient absorber-catalysts system, it is imperative to fully understand the vital role of surface/interface modulation for enhanced charge transfer/separation and catalytic activity for a specific reaction. The electronic and chemical structures at the interface are directly correlated to charge carrier movements and subsequent chemical adsorption and reaction of the reactants. Therefore, rational surface modulation can indeed enhance the catalytic efficiency by preventing charge recombination and prompting transfer, increasing the reactant concentration, and ultimately boosting the catalytic reaction. Herein, the authors review recent progress on the surface modification of nanomaterials as photo/electrochemical catalysts for water reduction and oxidation, considering two successive photogenerated charge transfer/separation and catalytic chemical reactions. It is expected that this review paper will be helpful for the future development of photo/electrocatalysts.

β-SnS/GaSe heterostructure: a promising solar-driven photocatalyst with low carrier recombination for overall water splitting

“…As for the HER processes on the β-SnS surface in the pristine heterojunction, the photogenerated electrons provide almost sufficient driving force, since the Δ G for the formation of H* species is very small (0.03 eV) at U = 1.43 V, defined as the energy difference between the water reduction potential and the CBM of the β-SnS monolayer. To enhance the catalytic efficiency of the proposed heterostructure, rational surface modulation, 73 such as introducing single-atom vacancy, is an effective method. 74 The blue and green lines in Fig.…”

Prospects of Nanoparticle-based Radioenhancement for Radiotherapy

“…For example, it was shown for different PEG and human serum albumin functionalizations of Au NPs, that the amount of •OH radical production and plasmid DNA damage during X-ray irradiation dramatically decreased with the number of atoms in the coating. [86] On the contrary, surface functionalization can be used to enhance charge separation and transfer and improve catalytic reactions, [87] or allow the creation of other highly reactive species such as singlet oxygen ( 1 O2) which can be produced by e.g. porphyrins.…”

Covalently Bonded Ir(IV) on Conducted Blue TiO2 for Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acid Media

“…In particular, various morphologies have been achieved by different experimental methods [16,23]. The nanoclusters of Ir metal and IrO 2 materials have drawn significant interest due to their conducting properties and favorite potential as electrocatalysts [24][25][26][27]. Especially, the Ir nanomaterials are also worthwhile considering in various applications, such as hydrogen evolution reactions.…”