Nanosponges for hydrogen evolution reaction: current trends and future perspectives

Abstract

Nanosponges have emerged as a promising class of materials for electrocatalysis, particularly for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The HER is a key process in hydrogen generation as a clean energy source, but it requires efficient and stable catalysts to be economically viable. Nanosponges offer several advantages over traditional catalysts, including high surface area, tunable composition, and unique structural features. Nanosponges have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, allowing for more active sites for catalysis and enhancing the efficiency of the HER process. In addition, the composition of nanosponges can be simply tuned to optimize their electrocatalytic efficiency for HER. This flexibility allows for the development of highly efficient and selective electrocatalysts. On the other hand, the porous structure of nanosponges offers a large number of active sites for catalysis, while also permitting efficient mass transport of reactants and products. Nanosponges have been shown to display excellent stability under harsh reaction conditions, making them suitable for long-term use in HER applications. Overall, the development of nanosponges for HER is still in its early stages, but these materials can play a key role in the transition toward a sustainable energy economy by creating efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts for HER. There are still challenges to be addressed in the development of nanosponge-based HER catalysts, such as improving their stability and scalability as well as optimizing synthesis methods. Despite the challenges, the potential of nanosponges for HER is significant, and recent research has shown promising results in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of nanosponge-based catalysts. But, further research is needed to determine their long-term environmental impact and feasibility for HER. Herein, the recent advances on the use of nanosponges as electrocatalysts for HER are deliberated, focusing on crucial challenging issues and future perspectives.