Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency

Chao Cai; Shaobo Han; Qi Wang; Meng Gu

doi:10.1021/acsnano.9b02135

Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency

Chao Cai (Co-first Author)
, Shaobo Han (Co-first Author)
, Qi Wang (Co-first Author)
, Meng Gu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

95 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Noble metal particles and atoms tend not to react with other media even at elevated temperatures due to their inert nature. Herein, we report surprising findings of Au diffusion and dissolution in a Ni₂P matrix, forming single Au atoms and tiny clusters. The dynamic atomic diffusion process was directly probed by in situ heating scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The Au yolks can diffuse and dissolve completely into the Ni₂P shell at temperatures of 350 °C or higher, resulting in an inward volume expansion of the Ni₂P shell and formation of single Au atoms and tiny Au clusters in Ni₂P. The resulting structure exhibited outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiency that is 16-fold that of commercial IrO₂. The in situ STEM finding explains its drastically improved catalytic performance after annealing, confirming Au single atoms and clusters on a Ni₂P surface as active OER sites. Our finding emphasizes the role of dynamic structural changes during simple heat treatment to enhance catalysis efficiency. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	8865-8871
Number of pages	7
Journal	ACS Nano
Volume	13
Issue number	8
Online published	25 Jul 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.9b02135
Publication status	Published - 27 Aug 2019
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21802065), Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality 2017 (no. 1106), Shenzhen Peacock Plan (KQTD2016022620054656), Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Research Team Program (2016ZT06N500), and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Materials for Electric Power with contract no. 2018B030322001.

Research Keywords

electrocatalyst
nickel phosphides
OER
single-atom catalyst
yolk−shell

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title = "Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency",

abstract = "Noble metal particles and atoms tend not to react with other media even at elevated temperatures due to their inert nature. Herein, we report surprising findings of Au diffusion and dissolution in a Ni2P matrix, forming single Au atoms and tiny clusters. The dynamic atomic diffusion process was directly probed by in situ heating scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The Au yolks can diffuse and dissolve completely into the Ni2P shell at temperatures of 350 °C or higher, resulting in an inward volume expansion of the Ni2P shell and formation of single Au atoms and tiny Au clusters in Ni2P. The resulting structure exhibited outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiency that is 16-fold that of commercial IrO2. The in situ STEM finding explains its drastically improved catalytic performance after annealing, confirming Au single atoms and clusters on a Ni2P surface as active OER sites. Our finding emphasizes the role of dynamic structural changes during simple heat treatment to enhance catalysis efficiency. {\textcopyright} 2019 American Chemical Society.",

keywords = "electrocatalyst, nickel phosphides, OER, single-atom catalyst, yolk−shell",

author = "Chao Cai and Shaobo Han and Qi Wang and Meng Gu",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1021/acsnano.9b02135",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "8865--8871",

journal = "ACS Nano",

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publisher = "American Chemical Society",

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Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency. / Cai, Chao (Co-first Author); Han, Shaobo (Co-first Author); Wang, Qi (Co-first Author) et al.
In: ACS Nano, Vol. 13, No. 8, 27.08.2019, p. 8865-8871.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency

AU - Cai, Chao

AU - Han, Shaobo

AU - Wang, Qi

AU - Gu, Meng

PY - 2019/8/27

Y1 - 2019/8/27

N2 - Noble metal particles and atoms tend not to react with other media even at elevated temperatures due to their inert nature. Herein, we report surprising findings of Au diffusion and dissolution in a Ni2P matrix, forming single Au atoms and tiny clusters. The dynamic atomic diffusion process was directly probed by in situ heating scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The Au yolks can diffuse and dissolve completely into the Ni2P shell at temperatures of 350 °C or higher, resulting in an inward volume expansion of the Ni2P shell and formation of single Au atoms and tiny Au clusters in Ni2P. The resulting structure exhibited outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiency that is 16-fold that of commercial IrO2. The in situ STEM finding explains its drastically improved catalytic performance after annealing, confirming Au single atoms and clusters on a Ni2P surface as active OER sites. Our finding emphasizes the role of dynamic structural changes during simple heat treatment to enhance catalysis efficiency. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

AB - Noble metal particles and atoms tend not to react with other media even at elevated temperatures due to their inert nature. Herein, we report surprising findings of Au diffusion and dissolution in a Ni2P matrix, forming single Au atoms and tiny clusters. The dynamic atomic diffusion process was directly probed by in situ heating scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The Au yolks can diffuse and dissolve completely into the Ni2P shell at temperatures of 350 °C or higher, resulting in an inward volume expansion of the Ni2P shell and formation of single Au atoms and tiny Au clusters in Ni2P. The resulting structure exhibited outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiency that is 16-fold that of commercial IrO2. The in situ STEM finding explains its drastically improved catalytic performance after annealing, confirming Au single atoms and clusters on a Ni2P surface as active OER sites. Our finding emphasizes the role of dynamic structural changes during simple heat treatment to enhance catalysis efficiency. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

KW - electrocatalyst

KW - nickel phosphides

KW - OER

KW - single-atom catalyst

KW - yolk−shell

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85070614016

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85070614016#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1021/acsnano.9b02135

DO - 10.1021/acsnano.9b02135

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

C2 - 31343864

SN - 1936-0851

VL - 13

SP - 8865

EP - 8871

JO - ACS Nano

JF - ACS Nano

IS - 8

ER -

Direct observation of yolk−shell transforming to gold single atoms and clusters with superior oxygen evolution reaction efficiency

Abstract

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Research Keywords

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