Seed-mediated atomic-scale reconstruction of silver manganate nanoplates for oxygen reduction towards high-energy aluminum-air flow batteries

Aluminum-air batteries are promising candidates for next-generation high-energy-density storage, but the inherent limitations hinder their practical use. Here, we show that silver nanoparticle-mediated silver manganate nanoplates are a highly active and chemically stable catalyst for oxygen reduction in alkaline media. By means of atomic-resolved transmission electron microscopy, we find that the formation of stripe patterns on the surface of a silver manganate nanoplate originates from the zigzag atomic arrangement of silver and manganese, creating a high concentration of dislocations in the crystal lattice. This structure can provide high electrical conductivity with low electrode resistance and abundant active sites for ion adsorption. The catalyst exhibits outstanding performance in a flow-based aluminum-air battery, demonstrating high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities of similar to 2552 Wh kg(Al)(-1) and similar to 6890 Wh I-Al(-1) at 100 mA cm(-2), as well as high stability during a mechanical recharging process

Screening highly active perovskites for hydrogen-evolving reaction via unifying ionic electronegativity descriptor

[[abstract]]Facile and reliable screening of cost-effective, high-performance and scalable electrocatalysts is key for energy conversion technologies such as water splitting. ABO3-δ perovskites, with rich constitutions and structures, have never been designed via activity descriptors for critical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we apply coordination rationales to introduce A-site ionic electronegativity (AIE) as an efficient unifying descriptor to predict the HER activities of 13 cobalt-based perovskites. Compared with A-site structural or thermodynamic parameter, AIE endows the HER activity with the best volcano trend. (Gd0.5La0.5)BaCo2O5.5+δ predicted from an AIE value of ~2.33 exceeds the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst in electrode activity and stability. X-ray absorption and computational studies reveal that the peak HER activities at a moderate AIE value of ~2.33 can be associated with the optimal electronic states of active B-sites via inductive effect in perovskite structure (~200 nm depth), including Co valence, Co-O bond covalency, band gap and O 2p-band position.[[notice]]補正完

Band alignment and electrocatalytic activity at the p-n La0.88Sr0.12FeO3/SrTiO3(001) heterojunction

Ferrite perovskites have exhibited promising p-type conductivity and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. In this work, we investigate heteroepitaxial p-n junctions formed by La0.88Sr0.12FeO3 and n-SrTiO3(001). Sr substitution for La in LaFeO3 is shown to be effective for introducing p-type conductivity, lowering the optical bandgap, and enhancing electrocatalytic OER. A staggered, type-II band alignment with a large built-in potential within the LSFO forms due to the polar interface. This electronic structure facilitates charge transfer across the p-n junction and accounts for the strongly thickness-dependent extent of OER we observe.MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)Published versio

The effect of oxygen vacancies on water wettability of transition metal based SrTiO3 and rare-earth based Lu2O3

10.1039/c6ra22391eRSC Advances6110109234-10924