Recently, researcher Wang Lei`s research group from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Inner Mongolia University published the latest scientific research results in the internationally renowned journal ACS Catalysis. Yttrium-Induced Regulation of Electron Density in NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides (Yttrium-Induced Regulation of Electron Density in NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides) Yields Stable Solar Water Splitting).
The research has made new progress in rare earth element-doped hydrotalcite-type electrocatalysts, and has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51802320, 21965024), Inner Mongolia Outstanding Youth Cultivation Fund (2020JQ01) and Inner Mongolia University Talent Startup Fund (21300-5195102) stand by.
Hydrotalcite-like materials (LDH) are compounds assembled from positively charged main laminates and interlayer anions through non-covalent bonds. They have the advantages of simple synthesis methods and are widely used in (photo)electrocatalysis and other fields. Due to the four-electron transfer process and slow reaction kinetics in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the electrocatalytic reaction is limited. When it is further used as a co-catalyst to modify the semiconductor, it will affect the electron hole transport in the photocatalytic reaction, which will lead to the secondary recombination of the charge inside the semiconductor and the surface interface. Therefore, how to design highly active hydrotalcite-based promoter materials to improve the photoelectric catalytic performance of semiconductors has become the focus of current research.
The scientific research team prepared a trimetallic NiFeY hydrotalcite material by using a one-step hydrothermal method. The introduction of the Y element not only changes the material structure of the catalyst, but also improves its conductivity, strengthens the interaction between the metal elements and enhances the OER activity. The co-catalyst is modified to BiVO 4 semiconductor, which further improves the charge transport inside the semiconductor and improves surface water oxidation kinetics. The NiFeY/BiVO 4 semiconductor under the optimized conditions achieves a photocurrent density of 5.20 mA cm- at 1.23 V RHE, and reaches a stability of nearly 25 hours at 0.8 V RHE.
Paper link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscatal.0c03272