Recent advances in the orbital modulation of multi-element nanoparticles for boosted catalytic performance

Abstract

Multi-element nanoparticles (ME NPs) show unique and crucial roles in numerous electrochemical reactions involving conversion of energy, particularly in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The electronic orbital modulation strategies are powerful approaches to achieve high durability and catalytic performance, principally through the control of electronic structure, surface reactivity, and strong metal–support interactions. We first discuss the principles and approaches of orbital modulation for ME NP catalysts, mostly from the viewpoint of stability and performance, emphasizing on the recent theoretical investigations. Finally, we summarize a series of specific methods to achieve accurate orbital modulation in ME NP catalysts. We also elucidate the current bottlenecks and suggest some perspectives for the growth of related practical applications and theoretical developments in this field.