Balancing dynamic evolution of active sites for urea oxidation in practical scenarios

DOI: 10.1039/D3EE03258B

Authors: Jichao Zhang (University College London) , Jiexin Zhu (University College London; Wuhan University of Technology) , Liqun Kang (University College London (UCL)) , Qing Zhang (Dalian University of Technology) , Longxiang Liu (University College London) , Fei Guo (University College London) , Kaiqi Li (University College London) , Jianrui Feng (University College London) , Lixue Xia (Wuhan University of Technology) , Lei Lv (Wuhan University of Technology) , Wei Zong (University College London) , Paul R. Shearing (University College London) , Dan J. L. Brett (University College London) , Ivan P. Parkin (University College London) , Xuedan Song (Dalian University of Technology) , Liqiang Mai (Wuhan University of Technology) , Guanjie He (University College London)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Energy & Environmental Science , VOL 8

State: Published (Approved)
Published: November 2023
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 32058 , 33118

Abstract: Electrochemical urea splitting provides a sustainable and environmentally benign route for facilitating energy conversion. Nonetheless, the sustained efficiency of urea splitting is impeded by a scarcity of active sites during extended operational periods. Herein, an atomic heterostructure engineering strategy is proposed to promote the generation of active species via synthesizing unique Ru–O4 coordinated single atom catalysts anchored on Ni hydroxide (Ru1–Ni(OH)2), with ultralow Ru loading mass of 40.6 μg cm−2 on the nickel foam for commercial feasibility. Leveraging in situ spectroscopic characterizations, the structure-performance relationship in low and high urea concentrations was investigated and exhibited extensive universality. The boosted generation of dynamic Ni3+ active sites ensures outstanding activity and prominent long-term durability tests in various practical scenarios, including 100 h Zn–urea–air battery operation, 100 h alkaline urine electrolysis, and over 400 h stable hydrogen production in membrane electrode assembly (MEA) system under industrial-level current density.

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Materials, Energy

Diamond Offline Facilities: Electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre (ePSIC)
Instruments: E02-JEM ARM 300CF

Other Facilities: P65 at PETRA III

Added On: 08/11/2023 11:54

Documents:
d3ee03258b.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Energy Storage Energy Physical Chemistry Catalysis Chemistry Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Microscopy Electron Microscopy (EM) Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)