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Unveiling the Activity Origin of Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution over Isolated Ni Atoms Supported on a N‐Doped Carbon Matrix
Author(s) -
Zhang Huabin,
Liu Yanyu,
Chen Tao,
Zhang Jintao,
Zhang Jing,
Lou Xiong Wen David
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201904548
Subject(s) - oxygen evolution , electrocatalyst , materials science , density functional theory , carbon fibers , adsorption , doping , oxygen , absorption spectroscopy , chemical physics , chemical engineering , chemistry , electrochemistry , computational chemistry , electrode , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , physics , composite material , quantum mechanics , composite number , engineering
Exploring highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and unveiling their activity origin are pivotal for energy conversion technologies. Herein, atomically distributed Ni sites over a N‐doped hollow carbon matrix are reported as a promising electrocatalyst for OER in alkaline conditions. Significantly boosted activity is observed after the decoration of the active Ni sites with well‐controlled coordination geometry. Results of X‐ray absorption spectroscopy investigation and density functional theory (DFT) calculation reveal that the effective electronic coupling via the Ni–N coordination can move down the Fermi level and lower the adsorption energy of intermediates, thus resulting in the facilitated OER kinetics.