Select
Preface to Special Issue: Advanced Energy Chemistry for Electrocatalysis
Qiang Zhang, Jintao Zhang, Yu Chen
2017, 26(6 ):
0-0.
摘要
(
1649 )
PDF (752KB)
(
3
)
When the cost of renewable energy harvest from solar and wind is competitive with the prices of electricity from irreversible resources like coals, the electricity would be one of the most powerful and sustainable driving force for the future chemical reactions. Therefore, much effort has been devoted into the development of advanced energy chemistry on the basis of the motivated electrocatalysis.
Among various electrocatalysis reactions, the hydrogen and oxygen related electrocatalysis processes are strongly considered [1]. For instance, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the core step and bottleneck of many sustainable energy-conversion technologies toward an efficient, smart, and green future [2,3]. Specifically, ORR is the dominant reaction on the cathodes of fuel cells and metal–air batteries [4]. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) constitutes the bottleneck in water splitting [5]. Additionally, OER is also coupled with various renewable energy systems such as solar cells, metal-air batteries, and fuel cells. The multi-electron reaction process for ORR/OER suffers from sluggish kinetics and high overpotential, which requires high-performance electrocatalysts for practical applications and has stimulated intense research interest. For instance, on the 2nd China International Symposium on Energy Materials and Chemistry held in Changsha, 2017.6.9-12, a special session of electrocatalysis was proposed and attracted many attendees working on energy chemistry. The innovation on the energy chemistry of electrocatalysis introduces not only emerging principles on a family of advanced electrocatalyst (such as precious metal, metal oxide/nitride/carbide, metal-free catalyst, and carbon based electrocatalyst) [6–8], but also of many potential electrocatalysis processes (e.g. precious metal-free ORR, OER, hydrogen evolution reaction, hydrogen oxidation reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, chlorine evolution reaction, nitrogen reduction reaction).
Along with the rapid development of scientific researches and industrial applications on the science and technology of energy chemistry for electrocatalysis, a special issue on Journal of Energy Chemistry titled “Advanced Energy Chemistry for Electrocatalysis” is now dedicated to the interested readers. This special issue contains 7 review articles and 17 research papers. The topics cover different areas of energy chemistry for electrocatalysis, including electrocatalyst preparation, catalytic mechanism discussion, and the specific applications. Typically, catalytic conversion of CO2 is a promising solution to address global warming and energy shortage issues. Wu, Li, and co-workers [9] review the reaction mechanisms and possible pathways for productions of solar fuels from CO2 on Cu-based catalysts. Zhang and coworkers [10] demonstrate the fundamental principles for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and selectivity of Cu-based electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction reaction (CRR), highlighting the novel insights into the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts for CRR. Direct methanol fuel cells is the most attractive energy technology for sustainable society, however, its practical applications are heavily hindered by the sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and ORR electrocatalysts. Xia, Chen, and coworkers [11] summarize recent advances of unsupported Pt-based electrocatgalysts and highlight the relationship between the MOR performance and structure tailoring and composition modulating strategies. Zhang and coworkers [12] afford an in-depth digestion of present achievements on the role of nanocarbons and material design principles for ORR. The intrinsic activity of nanocarbon electrocatalysts and their multifunctional applications are presented systematically with perspectives on the further research in this rising research field. As an emerging kind of electrocatalyst, layered double hydroxides and their derivatives reviewed by Shao and co-workers [13] have been adopted as efficient electrocatalysts and exhibited superb activity and remarkable durability in ORR, OER, HER, and CRR. Additionally, NH3 is a vital emerging energy carrier and storage medium in the future hydrogen economy. Thus, the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is another emerging direction in the field of electrocatalysis. The electrochemical NRR routes exhibit the promising potential to reduce the energy consumption. Ma and coworkers [14] present the recent advances in ammonia synthesis electrocatalyzed by a series of functional materials in this special issue. To rational design of advanced electrocatalysts for vast electrocatalysis process, Zhang and coworkers [15] present useful information about the microstructures and chemical compositions of the electrocatalysts on nano and atomic scale by using transmission electron microscopy, which is of importance for establishing the synthesis-structure-performance relationship. The recent research progress in the field of energy-related electrocatalysis on the basis of experimental observation and theoretical simulation from the leading scientists are also included in this special issue.
This special issue represents a distinguished effort of the authors and anonymous referees, editors who really make the issue fruitful. We would like to thank them for the generous contribution. We also invite our readers to get more information on our website of Journal of Energy Chemistry (http://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-energy-chemistry), which involves the creative researches and innovative applications of chemical conversions of fossil energy, carbon dioxide, electrochemical energy and hydrogen energy, as well as the conversions of biomass and solar energy related with chemical issues to promote academic exchanges in the field of energy chemistry and to accelerate the exploration, research and development of energy science and technologies.
