Issue 25, 2019

Recent advances in transition metal-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution

Abstract

With the increasing demands in energy consumption and increasing environmental concerns, it is of vital significance for developing renewable and clean energy sources to substitute traditional fossil fuels. As an outstanding candidate, hydrogen is recognized as a green energy carrier due to its high gravimetric energy density, zero carbon footprints, and earth-abundance. Currently, water splitting in alkaline electrolytes represents one of the most promising methods for sustainable hydrogen production, and the key challenge lies in the development of high-performance electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Given the rapid advances in the design and development of efficient catalysts towards the alkaline HER, especially capable transition metal (TM)-based materials, this review aims to summarise recent progress in the theoretical understanding of the alkaline HER and TM-based electrocatalysts. TM-based catalysts classified by their different anionic compositions (metals, alloys, oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, selenides, tellurides, nitrides, phosphides, carbides, and borides) are comprehensively showcased. Special attention is given to mainstream strategies that can improve the catalytic properties of each category, as well as the underlying structure–activity regimes. Additionally, the challenges for the future development of novel catalysts are also analyzed.

Graphical abstract: Recent advances in transition metal-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
25 Marts 2019
Accepted
20 Maijs 2019
First published
20 Maijs 2019

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019,7, 14971-15005

Recent advances in transition metal-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution

Z. Chen, X. Duan, W. Wei, S. Wang and B. Ni, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7, 14971 DOI: 10.1039/C9TA03220G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements