Catalysis with two-dimensional materials and their heterostructures

Abstract

Graphene and other 2D atomic crystals are of considerable interest in catalysis because of their unique structural and electronic properties. Over the past decade, the materials have been used in a variety of reactions, including the oxygen reduction reaction, water splitting and CO2 activation, and have been shown to exhibit a range of catalytic mechanisms. Here, we review recent advances in the use of graphene and other 2D materials in catalytic applications, focusing in particular on the catalytic activity of heterogeneous systems such as van der Waals heterostructures (stacks of several 2D crystals). We discuss the advantages of these materials for catalysis and the different routes available to tune their electronic states and active sites. We also explore the future opportunities of these catalytic materials and the challenges they face in terms of both fundamental understanding and the development of industrial applications.

Nanoscale Electrocatalysis of Hydrazine Electro-Oxidation at Blistered Graphite Electrodes

“…62 The porous structure of blistered regions may aid the evolution of N2 nanobubbles, resulting in an enhancement of electrochemical activity. Finally, and significantly, the electronic properties of graphite change dramatically by the introduction of defects, 63 in particular, resulting in a high density of state near the Fermi level at defective graphite, 17,52,64 which would be expected to significantly enhance electrocatalysis. (g) ExampleTafel plots from the labelled regions in (f).…”

Two-Dimensional MoS2-Graphene-Based Multilayer van der Waals Heterostructures: Enhanced Charge Transfer and Optical Absorption, and Electric-Field Tunable Dirac Point and Band Gap

“…Vertically stacked two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures made by layer-by-layer (such as graphene (GR) and related 2D materials) in a precisely chosen sequence, has led to promising new materials for various fields, including nanoelectronics, energy conversion and storage, nanooptics, and catalysis [1][2][3] . These heterogeneous stacks have unusual properties that are not present in individual layers and encompass a wide spectrum of physical and chemical phenomena exemplified by new van Hove singularities [4][5][6][7] , Fermi velocity renormalization 8,9 , unconventional quantum Hall effects 10 , Hofstadter's butterfly pattern [11][12][13][14] , and others.…”

Guided Molecular Assembly on a Locally Reactive 2D Material

“…This is particularly true because the structural and electronic properties of silicene are more susceptible to modification [21][22][23][24][25][26] once it is formed upon a surface, owing to its greater reactivity than graphene and the flexibility of The interactions between atomic or molecular adsorbates and the surfaces of 2D materials are of interest for applications ranging from catalysis [1] and molecular sensing [2] to molecular electronics and spintronics. [3][4][5] For the prototypical 2D material graphene, there are typically only weak van der Waals interactions between molecules and the surface.…”

“…The interactions between atomic or molecular adsorbates and the surfaces of 2D materials are of interest for applications ranging from catalysis [1] and molecular sensing [2] to molecular electronics and spintronics. [3][4][5] For the prototypical 2D material graphene, there are typically only weak van der Waals interactions between molecules and the surface.…”