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Bai J, Tang Y, Lin C, Jiang X, Zhang C, Qin H, Zhou Q, Xiang M, Lian Y, Deng Y. Iron clusters regulate local charge distribution in Fe-N 4 sites to boost oxygen electroreduction. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 648:440-447. [PMID: 37302227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The atomically-dispersed and nitrogen-coordinated iron (FeNC) on a carbon catalyst is a potential non-noble metal catalyst that can replace precious metal electrocatalysts. However, its activity is often unsatisfactory owing to the symmetric charge distribution around the iron matrix. In this study, atomically- dispersed Fe-N4 and Fe nanoclusters loaded with N-doped porous carbon (FeNCs/FeSAs-NC-Z8@34) were rationally fabricated by introducing homologous metal clusters and increasing the N content of the support. FeNCs/FeSAs-NC-Z8@34 exhibited a half-wave potential of 0.918 V, which exceeded that of the commercial benchmark Pt/C catalyst. Theoretical calculations verified that introducing Fe nanoclusters can break the symmetric electronic structure of Fe-N4, thus inducing charge redistribution. Furthermore, it can optimize a part of Fe 3d occupancy orbitals and accelerate OO fracture in OOH* (rate-determining step), thus significantly improving oxygen reduction reaction activity. This work provides a reasonably advanced pathway to modulate the electronic structure of the single-atom center and optimize the catalytic activity of single-atom catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirong Bai
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China.
| | - Yiming Tang
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China
| | - Cheng Lin
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China
| | - Xiankai Jiang
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China.
| | - Chunyong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Hengfei Qin
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Quanfa Zhou
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China
| | - Mei Xiang
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China
| | - Yuebin Lian
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China
| | - Yaoyao Deng
- Research Center of secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, 213022, China.
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