Recent advances in interface engineering strategy for highly‐efficient electrocatalytic water splitting

Abstract

The hydrogen energy generated by the electrocatalytic water splitting reaction has been established as a renewable and clean energy carrier with ultra‐high energy density, which can well make up for shortcomings of conventional renewable energy sources, such as geographical limitations, climatic dependence, and energy wastage. Notably, the introduction of electrocatalysts can enhance the efficiency of the water splitting process to generate hydrogen. Particularly, the heterostructure electrocatalysts constructed by coupling multiple components (or phases) have emerged as the most promising option for water splitting due to the well‐known electronic and synergistic effects. The existing reviews on interface engineering for electrocatalyst design mostly focus on the relationship between the heterostructures and specific electrocatalytic reactions. However, a comprehensive overview of the integration of model building, directional synthesis, and electrocatalytic mechanism has been rarely reported. To this end, in this review, the development of heterostructure catalysts is systematically introduced from the perspective of interface classification, interface growth and synthesis, and regulation of electrocatalytic performance based on the interfacial microenvironment (bonding, electronic configuration, lattice strain, etc.), thereby offering useful insights on the design and construction of interfacial models. Besides, combined with the current development and applications of interface engineering strategies, the challenges of future heterostructure catalysts are discussed and relevant solutions are proposed. Overall, this review can serve as a useful theoretical reference for the integration of interfacial model building, directional synthesis, and electrocatalytic mechanism, which can further promote the development of hydrogen production technologies with low energy consumption and high yield.

Iridium-based catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction in acidic media: Mechanism, catalytic promotion effects and recent progress

“…Interface engineering realizes the fine design and optimization of multicomponent hybrid structures by building unique interfaces, which can optimize the electronic structure and significantly facilitate charge transfer and enhance the catalytic activity of electrocatalysts [173]. The type and number of phase boundaries are important controlling factors in interface engineering [174].…”

Roles of Metal Oxide Nanostructure-Based Substrates in Sustainable Electrochemical Water Splitting: Recent Development and Future Perspective

“…Unfortunately, these noble metal-based electrocatalysts hamper prompt commercialization and enhanced electrolyzer application due to the insufficiency and high cost of noble metals. − In the last few decades, incredible breakthroughs have been developed in electrocatalysts for the electrochemical water electrolysis, and outcomes have been summarized by several outstanding review articles. In this corresponding research area, various electrodes have been utilized to drive the OER and HER, which will complicate and increase the cost of production and manufacturing procedures. , Exploring bifunctional electrocatalysts to catalyze both the OER and HER may not only simplify the process on practical scale applications but also assist to realize the commercialization of multiple secondary energy. Lately, various electrocatalytic composites have been explored to decrease the OER and HER overpotentials, and these have been fabricated with excellent catalytic properties for both the OER and HER, such as hydroxide, oxide, sulfide, oxy-hydroxide, phosphide, nitride, carbide, and selenide-based electrocatalysts, and various alloys have also been explored by many researchers. − Electrocatalysts for the OER, a huge struggle, are being focused mainly on certain oxides.…”

“…In this corresponding research area, various electrodes have been utilized to drive the OER and HER, which will complicate and increase the cost of production and manufacturing procedures. 4,13 Exploring bifunctional electrocatalysts to catalyze both the OER and HER may not only simplify the process on practical scale applications but also assist to realize the commercialization of multiple secondary energy. Lately, various electrocatalytic composites have been explored to decrease the OER and HER overpotentials, and these have been fabricated with excellent catalytic properties for both the OER and HER, such as hydroxide, oxide, 14 sulfide, 15 oxyhydroxide, 16 phosphide, 17 nitride, 18 carbide, 19 and selenidebased 20 electrocatalysts, and various alloys 21 have also been explored by many researchers.…”

Recent Advances of Modified Ni (Co, Fe)-Based LDH 2D Materials for Water Splitting

“…Nowadays, a large number of non-precious metal-based materials have been widely developed in water splitting technology, including carbon materials, metals, metal oxides/hydroxides, sulfides, and phosphides [ 3 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Among these non-precious metal-based materials, metal-based layered double hydroxides (LDH) exhibit the great promising potential for the substitution of precious metal-based catalysts due to their low cost, simple preparation methods, and excellent electrocatalytic performance in water splitting, as well as the easier tunable chemistry in regulating electrocatalytic activity [ 12 , 18 ].…”