Ma Xiaomin, Shi Yanmei, Wang Kang, Yu Yifu, Zhang Bin
Institute of Molecular Plus, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Chemistry. 2020 Mar 26;26(18):3961-3972. doi: 10.1002/chem.201904021. Epub 2019 Dec 16.
Electrolytic water technology is promising for sustainable energy utilization, but the lack of efficient electrocatalysts retards its application. The intrinsic activity of electrocatalysts is determined by its electronic structure, whereas the apparent activity can be further optimized by reasonable design on micro-/nanostructures of electrocatalysts. The core goal of electrocatalytic research is to reveal the relationship between the structure and performance of electrocatalysts, which is also the basis of reasonable design and construction of efficient electrocatalysts. Traditional synthetic methods, namely bottom-up and top-down routes, usually induce the change of different structural parameters at the same time. The solid-state conversion strategy, which is converts solid precursors into target materials through chemical reactions, has been widely adopted to produce materials with precisely controllable structures. In this Minireview, we focus on recent advances in the solid-state conversion synthesis of water-splitting electrocatalysts. First, the basis of solid-state conversion chemistry is introduced. Then, the specific methods of precise control of electronic structure by solid-state conversion and the relationship between electronic structure and performance are summarized. Based on the understanding of the electronic structure-performance relationship, synergistic regulation of electronic structure and micro-/nanostructures by solid-state conversion to achieve the copromotion of intrinsic activity and apparent activity are described. Finally, the remaining challenges in this field are discussed, and future research directions are proposed as well.
电解水技术在可持续能源利用方面前景广阔，但缺乏高效的电催化剂阻碍了其应用。电催化剂的本征活性由其电子结构决定，而表观活性可通过对电催化剂的微/纳米结构进行合理设计进一步优化。电催化研究的核心目标是揭示电催化剂的结构与性能之间的关系，这也是合理设计和构建高效电催化剂的基础。传统的合成方法，即自下而上和自上而下的路线，通常会同时引起不同结构参数的变化。固态转化策略是通过化学反应将固体前驱体转化为目标材料，已被广泛用于制备结构精确可控的材料。在这篇综述中，我们重点关注析水电催化剂固态转化合成的最新进展。首先，介绍了固态转化化学的基础。然后，总结了通过固态转化精确控制电子结构的具体方法以及电子结构与性能之间的关系。基于对电子结构-性能关系的理解，描述了通过固态转化对电子结构和微/纳米结构进行协同调控以实现本征活性和表观活性共同提升的方法。最后，讨论了该领域仍然存在的挑战，并提出了未来的研究方向。
