Themed collection Electrocatalysis - Fundamental Insights for Sustainable Energy

This themed issue presents a collection of articles on electrocatalysis.

This perspective article reviews recent advances in the study of important catalytic reactions on gold electrodes.

Structure–activity correlations of nanocarbon oxygen cathode catalysts for nonaqueous Li–O₂ batteries are discussed, providing guidance for rational catalyst design.

Despite having no detectable (100) facets, oxide-derived Au electrodes have 4e⁻ O₂ reduction activity that rivals (100)-rich Au cubes.

Tuning the composition of N-doped graphene–carbon nanotube composites can boost their electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction.

A kinetic model sheds light on the mechanism of the hydrogen peroxide reactions on Mn- and Co-perovskite oxides.

The potential dependent activity and selectivity of CO₂ electroreduction on polycrystalline silver surfaces are investigated, providing insights into mechanistic aspects, including C–C coupling.

First-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to explain the stability of catalytically active sites in Fe–N_x–C electrocatalysts, their ORR activity and ORR mechanism.

The impact of formaldehyde and formic acid on the electrooxidation of methanol is studied by in situ infrared spectroscopy and online mass spectrometry revealing a non-additive behavior.

Enhancement of oxygen reduction reaction activity of a Au electrode by modification with various types of BN nanostructure.

Non-precious metal electrocatalyst: CoFe particles surrounded by fibrous carbon for the elongated stability of oxygen evolution from water molecules.

Insight into the high oxygen electroreduction activity of Pt_xY by studying single crystal Y/Pt(111).

The performance enhancement effect of structural ordering for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the PtCu₃ nanoparticulate system is systematically studied.

We measured the in situ polarization-dependent X-ray absorption fine structure of PtNPs deposited on a flat HOPG substrate.

Density functional theory suggests alkali metal specific adsorption may compete with hydrogen on some metal electrodes in alkaline electrolytes.

The CO₂ electroreduction mechanism and electrode stability on Fe(100) electrocatalysts is examined with density functional theory.

A proper heat treatment atmosphere decisively influenced the oxygen reduction reaction, particularly upon specific anion adsorption from the half-cell to single-cell scale.

Faradaic selectivity of the chlorine and oxygen evolution (left) is linked to the spatial inhomogeneity of the surface reactivity of Ti–Ru–Ir mixed metal oxide catalysts.

Structural effects on the activity for the oxygen reduction reaction on the high index planes of Pt₃Co.

Perchlorate anion adsorption inhibits the oxygen reduction reaction on Pt{hkl} electrodes in aqueous perchloric acid due to weak specific adsorption.

The potential determining reaction and the rate-determining step for the ORR on Au(100) in acidic and alkaline solution have been clarified.

The oxygen reduction catalytic activity of carbon-supported FeN₄ moieties bridging micropores between two graphene sheets was investigated by density functional theory (DFT).

In operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy data using the Δμ X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) analysis procedure is used to follow the ORR intermediate adsorbate coverage on a working catalyst in a PEMFC during initial activation and break-in.

Homoleptic terpyridine complexes of 3d transition metals are found to electrocatalytically reduce CO₂ to either CO or tuneable CO–H₂ mixtures.

The activity of stepped Pt can be described by a Sabatier type volcano, according to a voltammetric analysis.

Oxygen evolution catalysis is restricted by the interdependence of adsorption energies of the reaction intermediates and the surface reactivity.

Control of the metal oxide surface properties leads in the case of Sb–SnO₂ to a support material for Pt nanoparticles with tailored catalyst corrosion stability and activity.

OOH dissociation is the key step in electrocatalytic oxygen reduction on Fe–N centers of graphite, as revealed from first principles.

Thallium deposited on Pt nanoparticles catalyzes formic acid electrooxidation.

In this study, we provide a complete picture of how adatoms can reduce the work function of a metal surface by contrasting two independent mechanisms.

Cubic PtRh alloys supported on graphene (Pt_xRh_y/GN) possess enhanced activity and high selectivity for ethanol electrooxidation.

We reported herein on the use of novel tolerant cathode catalysts: Pt_xTi_y and/or Pt_xSe_y. Their prospective use as nanomaterials in an air-breathing methanol microfluidic fuel cells (laminar flow, and mixed reactant mode) is demonstrated.