Competitive Trapping of Single Atoms onto a Metal Carbide Surface.

Controlling atomic adjustment of single-atom catalysts (SACs) can directly change its local configuration, regulate the energy barrier of intermediates, and further optimize reaction pathways. Herein, we report an atom manipulating process to synthesize Ni atoms stabilized on vanadium carbide (Ni-VC) through a nanofiber-medium thermodynamically driven atomic migration strategy. Experimental and theoretical results systematically reveal the tunable migration pathway of Ni atom from Ni nanoparticles to neighboring N-doped carbon (NC) and finally to metal carbide that was obtained by regulating the competitive adsorption energies between VC and NC for capturing Ni atoms.

Strain Relaxation in Metal Alloy Catalysts Steers the Product Selectivity of Electrocatalytic CO Reduction.

Strain engineering in bimetallic alloy structures is of great interest in electrochemical CO reduction reactions (CORR), in which it simultaneously improves electrocatalytic activity and product selectivity by optimizing the binding properties of intermediates. However, a reliable synthetic strategy and systematic understanding of the strain effects in the CORR are still lacking. Herein, we report a strain relaxation strategy used to determine lattice strains in bimetal MNi alloys (M = Pd, Ag, and Au) and realize an outstanding CO-to-CO Faradaic efficiency of 96.

Nanocatalyst doped bacterial cellulose-based thermosensitive nanogel with biocatalytic function for antibacterial application.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) for treating bacterial infection is an alternative strategy to overcome the drawbacks such as bacterial resistance of commonly used antibiotics. Nanocatalysts have been proved highly effective in regulating intracellular ROS level due to their intrinsic enzymes-mimicking ability. Herein, we prepared a carbon-based nanozyme doped with copper atoms with peroxidase mimetic activity to catalyze the decomposition of bio-safety dosage of HO to highly reactive OH radicals for antibacterial treatment.

One-dimensional, space-confined, solid-phase growth of the CuS@MoS core-shell heterostructure for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Binary transition metal chalcogenide core-shell nanocrystals are considered the most promising nonprecious metal catalysts for large-scale industrial hydrogen production. Herein, we report a one-dimensional, space-confined, solid-phase strategy for the growth of a CuS@MoS core-shell heterostructure by combining electrospinning and chemical vapor deposition methods. The CuS@MoS core-shell nanocrystals were synthesized in situ on carbon nanofibers (CuS@MoS/CNFs) by an S vapor graphitization process.