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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe concept of single atom catalysts (SACs) originated from reducing the amount of noble metals used, by steadily refining the particle size loaded on a substrate surface. It has been rapidly moving to non-noble elements and their compounds in recent years, notably transition metals and even non-metals. They are of heterogeneous types, where the active species are refined to atomic dispersion scales on the surfaces/sub-surfaces of the solid support.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-performance supercapacitors have attracted great attention due to their high power, fast charging/discharging, long lifetime, and high safety. However, the generally low energy density and overall device performance of supercapacitors limit their applications. In recent years, the design of rational electrode materials has proven to be an effective pathway to improve the capacitive performances of supercapacitors.
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