Nat. Commun.: The electron-rich Cu single atom with moderate coordination of light-induced load is used to produce hydrogen
Article information
The electron-rich Cu single atom with moderate coordination of light-induced load is used to produce hydrogen
First author: Fu Weiwei , Wanjin, Zhang Huijuan
Corresponding author: Wang Yu*
Unit: Chongqing University
Research background
Single atomic catalysts (SACs) with 100% metal dispersion provide the maximum atomic utilization rate. These SACs have unique activity points or catalytic pathways that are different from the traditional metal catalyst , and show excellent activity and selectivity for electrocatalytic reactions. However, most of the path steps for synthesis of single atoms are cumbersome and synthesis conditions are sensitive, including adsorption and reduction of metal precursors. In addition, especially in the case of large quantities of metal precursors or high temperature pyrolysis, these methods still cannot strictly exclude metal aggregation, resulting in low repeatability. Highly electronegative heteroatoms play a crucial role in coordinating single metal atoms to prevent agglomeration. However, these strong coordination bonds reduce the electron density of coordination metal atoms, thus affecting their catalytic activity.
Article Introduction
Recently, from Professor Wang Yu's team of Chongqing University published an article titled "Photoinduced loading of electron-rich Cu single atoms by moderne coordination for hydrogen evolution" in the internationally renowned journal Nature Communications . This article synthesized Cu-P3 structure with high load (11.3 wt%) and moderate coordination with black phosphorus as the carrier through hydrogen-assisted photochemical strategy. The single atom Cu site ΔGH∗ with special electron-rich characteristics is close to zero. And the synergistic effect of adjacent Cu atoms reduces the energy of water adsorption and intermediate dissociation. The prepared catalyst showed a Tafel slope of only 41 mV at 10 mA cm-2, exceeding the isolated Cu single atom and Cu nano cluster .
Big points in this paper
Big points one:
The authors report a room temperature photochemical strategy using hydrogen assisted to synthesize stable and high-loaded SACs with non-strong coordination M-P3 structures on two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) carriers (e.g., Cu, Co). The formation of hydrogen radicals (H) on BP induced by visible light is critical to the preparation of high-load adjacent copper single atoms (n-Cu/BP) with metal atom loads up to 11.3%.
Key points 2:
In the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction, the electron-rich Cu catalyst has only an overpotential of 41 mV at a current density of 10mA cm-2, and the Tafel slope is only 53.4 mV dec-1. This is far beyond the isolated Cu atomic catalyst and Cu nanoclusters. Similarly, this strategy of synergistically synergistically synthesis of high-load single-atom catalysts and adjacent atoms provides a basis for designing high-active electrocatalytics and enhancing reaction kinetics processes.
Key points three:
Theoretical calculation shows that the ΔGH∗ of the active site of the single atom Cu used for hydrogen evolution is close to zero. Adjacent Cu SACs exhibit high hydrolysis activity, significantly exceeding the isolated Cu SAC and Cu nanoclusters.
Article link
Photoinduced loading of electron-rich Cu single atoms by moderate coordination for hydrogen evolution
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33275-z
Corresponding author introduction
Profile of Professor Wang Yu: Chongqing University, professor, doctoral supervisor, winner of the first Chongqing Top Ten Science and Technology Youth Award. is mainly engaged in efficient energy storage and catalytic conversion.In recent years, more than 130 scientific research papers on the first unit communication/first authors have been published in the journals of chemistry and comprehensive science, including 97 papers on the first district of , Chinese Academy of Sciences, including Nature Communications, Angew.Chem. Int. Edit., J. Am. Chem. Soc, J. Catal., ACS Catal., Appl. Catal. B., Nano Energy, Energy& Environ. Sci, Adv. Mater., Adv. Funct. Mater., Adv. Energy Mater., ACS Nano, ACS Energy Lett. et al. , he cited more than 7,000 times, and many corresponding author papers were rated as highly cited by Web of Science. 9 papers were highlighted as covers of journals such as Angew. Chem. Int. Edit. After the relevant work was published, it attracted widespread attention and recognition from peers at home and abroad. 7 invention patents are authorized and 1 utility novel patent is authorized.
