Multiscale Understanding of Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Mechanisms, Electrocatalysts, Polymers, and Cell Management.

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are among the most promising sustainable electrochemical technologies to help solve energy challenges. Compared to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), AEMFCs offer a broader choice of catalyst materials and a less corrosive operating environment for the bipolar plates and the membrane. This can lead to potentially lower costs and longer operational life than PEMFCs.

In Operando Photoswitching of Cu Oxidation States in Cu-Based Plasmonic Heterogeneous Photocatalysis for Efficient H Evolution.

Metal nanoparticles (NP) supported on TiO are known to be efficient photocatalysts for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. While TiO decorated with copper NPs has the potential to become an attractive system, the poor oxidative stability of Cu severely limits its applicability. In this work, we demonstrate that, when Cu NPs supported on TiO nanobelts (NBs) are engaged in the photocatalytic generation of H from water under light illumination, Cu is not only oxidized in CuO but also dissolved under the form of Cu/Cu ions, leading to a continuous reconstruction of nanoparticles via Ostwald ripening.

Electronic Metal-Support Interaction Modulation of Single-Atom Electrocatalysts for Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries.

High-performance oxygen electrocatalysts play a key role in the widespread application of rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with maximum atom efficiency and well-defined active sites have been recognized as promising alternatives of the present noble-metal-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. To improve their oxygen electrocatalysis activities and reveal the structure-activity relationship, many advanced synthesis and characterization methods have been developed to study the effects of 1) coordination and electronic structure of the metal centers and 2) morphology and stability of the conductive substrates.

Defect Engineering of Carbon-based Electrocatalysts for Rechargeable Zinc-air Batteries.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are considered as one of the most promising electrochemical energy devices due to their various unique advantages. Oxygen electrocatalysis, involving the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), determines the overall performance of zinc-air batteries. Therefore, the development of highly efficient bifunctional ORR/OER catalysts is critical for the large-scale application of ZABs.