Skeletal Nanostructures Promoting Electrocatalytic Reactions with Three-Dimensional Frameworks

Abstract

Hollow skeletal nanomaterials, such as nanoframes and nanocages, represent a class of advanced electrocatalysts and exhibit excellent performance in various electrochemical energy conversion reactions. Their three-dimensional (3D) framework, which allows a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, efficient molecular accessibility, and nanoscale confinement effect, leads to higher catalytic activity compared to solid nanoparticle (NP)-based catalysts without requiring the use of a significant amount of precious metal. In this Perspective, we present notable exemplars of skeletal nanostructures that have demonstrated superior activity over solid NP-based catalysts. In particular, we highlight that the 3D framework in skeletal nanostructures consists of inherently reactive catalytic surfaces and discuss a multitude of factors affecting the excellent performance of skeletal nanocatalysts. We next introduce the design strategies that promote the catalytic activity and durability of skeletal nanostructures, including the strengthening of framework structures and the reorganization of the atomic array in a skeletal nanostructure. Finally, we provide future research directions in this emerging class of catalysts.

3D microprinting of inorganic porous materials by chemical linking-induced solidification of nanocrystals

“…To investigate the electrocatalytic activity of our printed material with high porosity, the printed FePt porous material was chosen for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because the FePt nanostructures are renowned as highly active catalysts with a suitable binding energy between their surfaces and the ORR intermediate (Supplementary Fig. 26 ) 52 . To afford clean surfaces for promoting the catalytic activity, we removed the metal ion linker and surface ligands in printed materials via acid treatment in 0.1 M HCl solution and subsequent electrochemical cycling activation in 1.0–1.5 V (vs. RHE) (Supplementary Fig.…”

Design Strategies of Active and Stable Oxygen Evolution Catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

“…They suggested that this enhancement could be driven by a significant increase in the electric conductivity. The three-dimensional (3D) structures comprising multimetallic components, such as core–shell, − nanoframes, − and other morphologies, − have also demonstrated excellence as OER catalysts. Oh et al proposed a hollow, rattle-like Pt/NiO/RuO 2 catalyst comprising a Pt/Ni-doped RuO 2 icosahedral framework as an excellent catalyst for the acidic OER.…”

Ceria Tubular Nanoarchitecture Antioxidants Achieve Sustainable Fuel Cell Devices Via Tuning the Oxophilicity of Pt Catalytic Surfaces and Radical Scavenging

“…In particular, the NT morphology ensured additional increases in surface area and defective surfaces due to internal voids. Furthermore, the internal voids can allow extraordinary enhancement of catalytic reactivity via the nanoscale confinement effect, frequently observed in three-dimensional skeletal nanoarchitectures, leading to strides in antioxidation efficacy [30][31][32].…”