Issue 43, 2021

A simple, rapid and scalable synthesis approach for ultra-small size transition metal selenides with efficient water oxidation performance

Abstract

Transition metal-based nanomaterials are regarded as promising catalysts due to their low cost and abundant reserves. In particular, transition metal-based selenides exhibit excellent capability for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the currently reported synthesis approaches for transition metal-based compounds involve generally complicated, time consuming, energy-intensive and low-yield steps. Herein, we reported a simple, rapid and scalable microwave method for the first time and successfully synthesized a series of ultra-small size transition metal selenide nanoparticles (∼5 nm in diameter) loaded on the carbon nanotube (CNT) surface. The entire reaction only takes 120 seconds and enables to obtain gram-level products. By benchmarking the OER activity, the ratio and composition optimized Ni0.27Co0.28Fe0.30Se@CNT exhibits superior water oxidation performance, requiring only 291 mV overpotential to achieve a current density of 100 mA cm−2 (48 mV smaller than that of the commercial RuO2, which is currently one of the most efficient transition metal-based catalysts). In addition, Ni0.27Co0.28Fe0.30Se@CNT demonstrates excellent stability up to 50 hours. This work offers a highly efficient synthesis method for ultra-small size transition metal-based selenides with outstanding catalytic performance. More profoundly, this method also pioneers a creative synthesis avenue for other transition metal compounds, such as sulfides, phosphides, etc.

Graphical abstract: A simple, rapid and scalable synthesis approach for ultra-small size transition metal selenides with efficient water oxidation performance

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
06 sept. 2021
Accepted
08 oct. 2021
First published
09 oct. 2021

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021,9, 24261-24267

A simple, rapid and scalable synthesis approach for ultra-small size transition metal selenides with efficient water oxidation performance

Y. Shi, D. Zhang, H. Miao, W. Zhang, X. Wu, Z. Wang, H. Li, T. Zhan, X. Chen, J. Lai and L. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021, 9, 24261 DOI: 10.1039/D1TA07644B

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