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Yao Y, Qu H, Sun Z, Chen Y, Yang S, Ma W. Identifying In Situ Activity and Selectivity of Oxygen Reduction Catalysts at the Subparticle Level. ACS NANO 2025; 19:18502-18512. [PMID: 40329597 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c01902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2025]
Abstract
Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) plays a crucial role in both the chemical and energy industries. Despite substantial advancements in theoretical, computational, and experimental studies, identifying both the in situ activity and selectivity in ORR electrocatalysis remains a major challenge. Here, using a suite of correlative operando scanning electrochemical probe and electrochemiluminescence microscopy techniques, we establish a link between the morphological structure and the local ORR activity and selectivity of single Au and Au@Pt platelets at the subparticle level. It is clearly shown that the edge facets of Au and Au@Pt platelets exhibit higher activity for 4e- ORR compared to basal planes, whereas the basal planes of both Au and Au@Pt platelets demonstrate superior 2e- selectivity relative to the edge facets. These findings deepen our understanding of ORR activity and selectivity across different facets at the subparticle level, which offers valuable guidance for the rational design of highly efficient ORR electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Yao
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Hongyang Qu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Zehui Sun
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Yequan Chen
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Shenglong Yang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Wei Ma
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
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2
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Barman K, Askarova G, Somni R, Hu G, Mirkin MV. Voltage-Driven Molecular Photoelectrocatalysis of Water Oxidation. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 39361953 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c10896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Molecular photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis have been widely used to conduct oxidation-reduction processes ranging from fuel generation to electroorganic synthesis. We recently showed that an electrostatic potential drop across the double layer contributes to the driving force for electron transfer (ET) between a dissolved reactant and a molecular catalyst immobilized directly on the electrode surface. In this article, we report voltage-driven molecular photoelectrocatalysis with a prevalent homogeneous water oxidation catalyst, (bpy)Cu (II), which was covalently attached to the carbon surface and exhibited photocatalytic activity. The strong potential dependence of the photooxidation current suggests that the electrostatic potential drop across the double layer contributes to the driving force for ET between a water molecule and the excited state of surface-bound (bpy)Cu (II). Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to analyze the products and determine the faradaic efficiencies for the generation of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Unlike electrocatalytic water oxidation by (bpy)Cu (II) in the dark, which produces only O2, the voltage-driven photooxidation includes an additional 2e- pathway generating H2O2. DFT calculations show that the applied voltage and the presence of light can alter the activation energy for the rate-determining water nucleophilic attack steps, thereby increasing the reaction rate of photo-oxidation of water and opening the 2e- pathway. These results suggest a new route for designing next-generation hybrid molecular photo(electro)catalysts for water oxidation and other processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koushik Barman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
| | - Gaukhar Askarova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
- The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Rahul Somni
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Guoxiang Hu
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Michael V Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
- Advanced Science Research Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, New York 10031, United States
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3
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Askins EJ, Sarkar A, Navabi P, Kumar K, Finkelmeyer SJ, Presselt M, Cabana J, Glusac KD. Interfacial Electrochemistry of Catalyst-Coordinated Graphene Nanoribbons. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22360-22373. [PMID: 39087647 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The immobilization of molecular electrocatalysts on conductive electrodes is an appealing strategy for enhancing their overall activity relative to those of analogous molecular compounds. In this study, we report on the interfacial electrochemistry of self-assembled two-dimensional nanosheets of graphene nanoribbons (GNR-2DNS) and analogs containing a Rh-based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst (RhGNR-2DNS) immobilized on conductive electrodes. Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) taking place at N-centers of the nanoribbons was utilized as an indirect reporter of the interfacial electric fields experienced by the monolayer nanosheet located within the electric double layer. The experimental Pourbaix diagrams were compared with a theoretical model, which derives the experimental Pourbaix slopes as a function of parameter f, a fraction of the interfacial potential drop experienced by the redox-active group. Interestingly, our study revealed that GNR-2DNS was strongly coupled to glassy carbon electrodes (f = 1), while RhGNR-2DNS was not (f = 0.15). We further investigated the HER mechanism by RhGNR-2DNS using electrochemical and X-ray absorption spectroelectrochemical methods and compared it to homogeneous molecular model compounds. RhGNR-2DNS was found to be an active HER electrocatalyst over a broader set of aqueous pH conditions than its molecular analogs. We find that the improved HER performance in the immobilized catalyst arises due to two factors. First, redox-active bipyrimidine-based ligands were shown to dramatically alter the activity of Rh sites by increasing the electron density at the active Rh center and providing RhGNR-2DNS with improved catalysis. Second, catalyst immobilization was found to prevent catalyst aggregation that was found to occur for the molecular analog in the basic pH. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the mechanism by which catalyst immobilization can affect the overall electrocatalytic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Askins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Abdul Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Pouyan Navabi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Khagesh Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Sarah Jasmin Finkelmeyer
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), Jena 07745, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena 07743, Germany
| | - Martin Presselt
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), Jena 07745, Germany
- SciClus GmbH & Co. KG, Jena 07745, Germany
- Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena 07743, Germany
| | - Jordi Cabana
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
- Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Ksenija D Glusac
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
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Askarova G, Barman K, Mirkin MV. Quantitative Measurements of Electrocatalytic Reaction Rates with NanoSECM. Anal Chem 2024; 96:6089-6095. [PMID: 38574269 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has been extensively used for mapping electrocatalytic surface reactivity; however, most of the studies were carried out using micrometer-sized tips, and no quantitative kinetic experiments on the nanoscale have yet been reported to date. As the diffusion-limited current density at a nanometer-sized electrode is very high, an inner-sphere electron-transfer process occurring at a nanotip typically produces a kinetic current at any attainable overpotential. Here, we develop a theory for substrate generation/tip collection (SG/TC) and feedback modes of SECM with a kinetic tip current and use it to evaluate the rates of hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions in a neutral aqueous solution from the current-distance curves. The possibility of using chemically modified nanotips for kinetic measurements is also demonstrated. The effect of the substrate size on the shape of the current-distance curves in SG/TC mode SECM experiments is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaukhar Askarova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
- The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Koushik Barman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
| | - Michael V Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
- Advanced Science Research Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, New York 10031, United States
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Barman K, Askarova G, Jia R, Hu G, Mirkin MV. Efficient Voltage-Driven Oxidation of Water and Alcohols by an Organic Molecular Catalyst Directly Attached to a Carbon Electrode. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5786-5794. [PMID: 36862809 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
The integration of heterogeneous electrocatalysis and molecular catalysis is a promising approach to designing new catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and other processes. We recently showed that the electrostatic potential drop across the double layer contributes to the driving force for electron transfer between a dissolved reactant and a molecular catalyst immobilized directly on the electrode surface. Here, we report high current densities and low onset potentials for water oxidation attained using a metal-free voltage-assisted molecular catalyst (TEMPO). Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to analyze the products and determine faradic efficiencies for the generation of H2O2 and O2. The same catalyst was employed for efficient oxidations of butanol, ethanol, glycerol, and H2O2. DFT calculations show that the applied voltage alters the electrostatic potential drop between TEMPO and the reactant as well as chemical bonding between them, thereby increasing the reaction rate. These results suggest a new route for designing next-generation hybrid molecular/electrocatalysts for OER and alcohol oxidations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koushik Barman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States
| | - Gaukhar Askarova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States.,The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Rui Jia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States.,The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Guoxiang Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States.,The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Michael V Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College-CUNY, Flushing, New York 11367, United States.,Advanced Science Research Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, New York 10031, United States
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Zhang C, Prignot E, Jeannin O, Vacher A, Dragoe D, Camerel F, Halime Z, Gramage-Doria R. Efficient Hydrogen Production at pH 7 in Water with a Heterogeneous Electrocatalyst Based on a Neutral Dimeric Cobalt-Dithiolene Complex. ACS Catal 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c04939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chanjuan Zhang
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de chimie moléculaire et des matériaux d’Orsay, 91190Orsay, France
| | - Erwan Prignot
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR-UMR6226, F-35000Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Diana Dragoe
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de chimie moléculaire et des matériaux d’Orsay, 91190Orsay, France
| | | | - Zakaria Halime
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de chimie moléculaire et des matériaux d’Orsay, 91190Orsay, France
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A Gauss's law analysis of redox active adsorbates on semiconductor electrodes: The charging and faradaic currents are not independent. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202395119. [PMID: 36037382 PMCID: PMC9456767 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202395119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed framework for modeling and interpreting the data in totality from a cyclic voltammetric measurement of adsorbed redox monolayers on semiconductor electrodes has been developed. A three-layer model consisting of the semiconductor space-charge layer, a surface layer, and an electrolyte layer is presented that articulates the interplay between electrostatic, thermodynamic, and kinetic factors in the electrochemistry of a redox adsorbate on a semiconductor. Expressions are derived that describe the charging and faradaic current densities individually, and an algorithm is demonstrated that allows for the calculation of the total current density in a cyclic voltammetry measurement as a function of changes in the physical properties of the system (e.g., surface recombination, dielectric property of the surface layer, and electrolyte concentration). The most profound point from this analysis is that the faradaic and charging current densities can be coupled. That is, the common assumption that these contributions to the total current are always independent is not accurate. Their interrelation can influence the interpretation of the charge-transfer kinetics under certain experimental conditions. More generally, this work not only fills a long-standing knowledge gap in electrochemistry but also aids practitioners advancing energy conversion/storage strategies based on redox adsorbates on semiconductor electrodes.
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Battistel D, Citron A, Veclani D, Daniele S. Pt Nanoelectrodes Sealed in Quartz Capillaries Modified with Underpotential‐Deposited Bismuth for Formic Acid Electrooxidation. ChemElectroChem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202200754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dario Battistel
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice: Universita Ca' Foscari Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics Venice ITALY
| | - Alberto Citron
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice: Universita Ca' Foscari Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems Venice ITALY
| | - Daniele Veclani
- CNR: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche The Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF) ITALY
| | - Salvatore Daniele
- Ca'Foscari University of Venice: Universita Ca' Foscari Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi Via Torino, 155 30172 Venice ITALY
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Shen X, Liu R, Wang D. Nanoconfined Electrochemical Collision and Catalysis of Single Enzyme inside Carbon Nanopipettes. Anal Chem 2022; 94:8110-8114. [PMID: 35648840 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Revealing the electrocatalytic features of single redox enzyme is significant to both fundamental biological processes and practical catalysis and sensing applications. Herein, we directly reveal the electrocatalytic current from a single enzyme inside the carbon nanopipettes via electrochemical collision strategies, based on the increased activity at nanoscale confinement. Besides the staircase current steps from surface blockage, discrete H2O2 oxidation and reduction current transients catalyzed by a single enzyme are also displayed and analyzed. The carbon nanopipette would increase the catalytic activities of enzymes and lead to a detectable current response, thus opening a new way to investigate the fundamental enzymatic mechanisms at the single enzyme level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Shen
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Rujia Liu
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Dengchao Wang
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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Valdés H, Germán-Acacio JM, van Koten G, Morales-Morales D. Bimetallic complexes that merge metallocene and pincer-metal building blocks: synthesis, stereochemistry and catalytic reactivity. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:1724-1744. [PMID: 34985477 DOI: 10.1039/d1dt03870b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This perspective is to illustrate the synthesis and applications of bimetallic complexes by merging a metallocene and a (cyclopentadienyl/aryl) pincer metal complex. Four possible ways to merge metallocene and pincer-metal motifs are reported and representative examples are discussed in more detail. These bimetallic complexes have been employed in some important catalytic reactions such as cross-coupling, transfer hydrogenation or synthesis of ammonia. The metallocene fragment may tune the electronic properties of the pincer ligand, due to its redox reversible properties. Also, the presence of two metals in a single complex allows their electronic communication, which proved beneficial for, e.g., the catalytic activity of some species. The presence of the metallocene fragment provides an excellent opportunity to develop chiral catalysts, because the metallocene merger generally renders the two faces of the pincer-metal catalytic site diastereotopic. Besides, an extra chiral functionality may be added to the bimetallic species by using pincer motifs that are planar chiral, e.g. by using the different substituents of pincer ligand "arms" or non-symmetrical arene groupings. Post-functionalization of pre-formed pincer-metal complexes, via η6-coordination with an areneophile such as [CpRu]+ and [Cp*Ru]+ presents a striking strategy to obtain diastereomeric metallocene-pincer type derivatives, that actually involve half-sandwich metallocenes. This approach offers the possibility to create diastereomerically pure derivatives by using the chiral TRISPHAT anion. The authors hope that this report of the synthetic, physico-chemical properties and remarkable catalytic activities of metallocene-based pincer-metal complexes will inspire other researchers to continue exploring this realm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Valdés
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Campus de Montilivi, Girona E-17003, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Juan M Germán-Acacio
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, Coordinación de la Investigación Científica-UNAM, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición SZ, C. P.14000, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gerard van Koten
- Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - David Morales-Morales
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México. C. P. 04510, Mexico.
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