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A Novel Single‐Atom Electrocatalyst Ti 1 /rGO for Efficient Cathodic Reduction in Hybrid Photovoltaics
Author(s) -
Liang Suxia,
Zhu Chao,
Zhang Naitian,
Zhang Shuo,
Qiao Botao,
Liu Hua,
Liu Xiaoyan,
Liu Zheng,
Song Xuedan,
Zhang Heming,
Hao Ce,
Shi Yantao
Publication year - 2020
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.202000478
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , materials science , cathodic protection , photovoltaics , reduction (mathematics) , atom (system on chip) , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , photovoltaic system , electrode , anode , electrochemistry , chemistry , electrical engineering , geometry , mathematics , computer science , embedded system , engineering
Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are a frontier research topic in the catalysis community. Carbon materials decorated with atomically dispersed Ti are theoretically predicted with many attractive applications. However, such material has not been achieved so far. Herein, a Ti‐based SAC, consisting of isolated Ti anchored by oxygen atoms on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (termed as Ti 1 /rGO), is successfully synthesized. The structure of Ti 1 /rGO is characterized by high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, being determined to have a five coordinated local structure TiO 5 . When serving as non‐Pt cathode material in dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs), Ti 1 /rGO exhibits high electrocatalytic activity toward the tri‐iodide reduction reaction. The power conversion efficiency of DSCs based on Ti 1 /rGO is comparable to that using conventional Pt cathode. The unique structure of TiO 5 moieties and the crucial role of atomically dispersed Ti in Ti 1 /rGO are well understood by experiments and density functional theory calculations. This emerging material shows potential applications in energy conversion and storage devices.