Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites with enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity

Di Liu; Zhejiaji Zhu; Jiani Li; Li Wei Chen; Hui Zi Huang; Xiao Ting Jing; An Xiang Yin

doi:10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038

Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites with enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity

Di Liu
, Zhejiaji Zhu
, Jiani Li
, Li Wei Chen
, Hui Zi Huang
, Xiao Ting Jing
, An Xiang Yin^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Beijing Institute of Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The application of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) has been bottlenecked by the sluggish ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Efficient electrocatalysts for the C − C bond cleavage are essential to promote EOR with high efficiency and C1 selectivity. Here, we prepared Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites (RhCu NDs) with abundant surface steps through controlled co-reduction, which exhibited significantly enhanced activity and C1 selectivity (0.47 mA cm⁻²_(ECSA), 472.4 mA mg_Rh⁻¹, and 38.9%) than Rh NDs (0.32 mA cm⁻²_(ECSA), 322.1 mA mg_Rh⁻¹, and 21.4%) and commercially available Rh/C (0.18 mA cm⁻²_(ECSA), 265.4 mA mg_Rh⁻¹, and 14.9%). Theoretical calculations and CO-stripping experiments revealed that alloying with Cu could modulate the surface electronic structures of Rh to resist CO-poisoning while strengthening ethanol adsorption. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the surface steps on RhCu NDs further promoted the C − C bond cleavage to increase the C1 selectivity. Therefore, optimizing the surface geometric and electronic structures of nanocrystals by rational composition and morphology control can provide a promising strategy for developing practical DEFC devices.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	343-349
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Energy Chemistry
Volume	82
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038
Publication status	Published - Jul 2023

Keywords

Electrocatalysis
Ethanol oxidation reaction
In situ FTIR
Nano-dendrites
Rh–Cu alloy

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10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038

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title = "Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites with enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity",

abstract = "The application of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) has been bottlenecked by the sluggish ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Efficient electrocatalysts for the C − C bond cleavage are essential to promote EOR with high efficiency and C1 selectivity. Here, we prepared Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites (RhCu NDs) with abundant surface steps through controlled co-reduction, which exhibited significantly enhanced activity and C1 selectivity (0.47 mA cm−2(ECSA), 472.4 mA mgRh−1, and 38.9\%) than Rh NDs (0.32 mA cm−2(ECSA), 322.1 mA mgRh−1, and 21.4\%) and commercially available Rh/C (0.18 mA cm−2(ECSA), 265.4 mA mgRh−1, and 14.9\%). Theoretical calculations and CO-stripping experiments revealed that alloying with Cu could modulate the surface electronic structures of Rh to resist CO-poisoning while strengthening ethanol adsorption. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the surface steps on RhCu NDs further promoted the C − C bond cleavage to increase the C1 selectivity. Therefore, optimizing the surface geometric and electronic structures of nanocrystals by rational composition and morphology control can provide a promising strategy for developing practical DEFC devices.",

keywords = "Electrocatalysis, Ethanol oxidation reaction, In situ FTIR, Nano-dendrites, Rh–Cu alloy",

author = "Di Liu and Zhejiaji Zhu and Jiani Li and Chen, \{Li Wei\} and Huang, \{Hui Zi\} and Jing, \{Xiao Ting\} and Yin, \{An Xiang\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038",

language = "English",

volume = "82",

pages = "343--349",

journal = "Journal of Energy Chemistry",

issn = "2095-4956",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites with enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity

AU - Liu, Di

AU - Zhu, Zhejiaji

AU - Li, Jiani

AU - Chen, Li Wei

AU - Huang, Hui Zi

AU - Jing, Xiao Ting

AU - Yin, An Xiang

PY - 2023/7

Y1 - 2023/7

N2 - The application of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) has been bottlenecked by the sluggish ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Efficient electrocatalysts for the C − C bond cleavage are essential to promote EOR with high efficiency and C1 selectivity. Here, we prepared Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites (RhCu NDs) with abundant surface steps through controlled co-reduction, which exhibited significantly enhanced activity and C1 selectivity (0.47 mA cm−2(ECSA), 472.4 mA mgRh−1, and 38.9%) than Rh NDs (0.32 mA cm−2(ECSA), 322.1 mA mgRh−1, and 21.4%) and commercially available Rh/C (0.18 mA cm−2(ECSA), 265.4 mA mgRh−1, and 14.9%). Theoretical calculations and CO-stripping experiments revealed that alloying with Cu could modulate the surface electronic structures of Rh to resist CO-poisoning while strengthening ethanol adsorption. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the surface steps on RhCu NDs further promoted the C − C bond cleavage to increase the C1 selectivity. Therefore, optimizing the surface geometric and electronic structures of nanocrystals by rational composition and morphology control can provide a promising strategy for developing practical DEFC devices.

AB - The application of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) has been bottlenecked by the sluggish ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Efficient electrocatalysts for the C − C bond cleavage are essential to promote EOR with high efficiency and C1 selectivity. Here, we prepared Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites (RhCu NDs) with abundant surface steps through controlled co-reduction, which exhibited significantly enhanced activity and C1 selectivity (0.47 mA cm−2(ECSA), 472.4 mA mgRh−1, and 38.9%) than Rh NDs (0.32 mA cm−2(ECSA), 322.1 mA mgRh−1, and 21.4%) and commercially available Rh/C (0.18 mA cm−2(ECSA), 265.4 mA mgRh−1, and 14.9%). Theoretical calculations and CO-stripping experiments revealed that alloying with Cu could modulate the surface electronic structures of Rh to resist CO-poisoning while strengthening ethanol adsorption. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the surface steps on RhCu NDs further promoted the C − C bond cleavage to increase the C1 selectivity. Therefore, optimizing the surface geometric and electronic structures of nanocrystals by rational composition and morphology control can provide a promising strategy for developing practical DEFC devices.

KW - Electrocatalysis

KW - Ethanol oxidation reaction

KW - In situ FTIR

KW - Nano-dendrites

KW - Rh–Cu alloy

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85153626499

U2 - 10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038

DO - 10.1016/j.jechem.2023.03.038

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85153626499

SN - 2095-4956

VL - 82

SP - 343

EP - 349

JO - Journal of Energy Chemistry

JF - Journal of Energy Chemistry

ER -

Rh–Cu alloy nano-dendrites with enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity

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Keywords

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