Search

Developing novel electrocatalysts for achieving high selectivity and faradaic efficiency in the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) poses a major challenge. In this study, a catalyst featuring a nitrogen-doped carbon shell-coated Ni nanoparticle structure is designed for efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) electroreduction to carbon monoxide (CO). The optimal Ni@NC-1000 catalyst exhibits remarkable CO faradaic efficiency (FECO) values exceeding 90% across a broad potential range of −0.55 to −0.9 V (vs. RHE), and attains the maximum FECO of 95.6% at −0.75 V (vs. RHE) in 0.5 M NaHCO3. This catalyst exhibits sustained carbon dioxide electroreduction activity with negligible decay after continuous electrolysis for 20 h. More encouragingly, a substantial current density of 200.3 mA cm−2 is achieved in a flow cell at −0.9 V (vs. RHE), reaching an industrial-level current density. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations demonstrate that its excellent catalytic performance is attributed to highly active pyrrolic nitrogen sites, promoting CO2 activation and significantly reducing the energy barrier for generating *COOH. To a considerable extent, this work presents an effective strategy for developing high-efficiency catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction across a wide potential window. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of gold (I) phoshpine complexes with diverse alkynyl ligands [Au(C≡CR)(PTA)] (R=C6H11OH, 1; C5H9OH, 2; C15H11OH, 3; C19H27O2, 4; C18H23O2, 5; C9H12N, 6; CH2OCH2C6H5, 7; C6H4OCH3, 8; PTA=1,3,5‐Triaza‐7‐phosphaadamantane) have been synthesized and characterized using a range of spectroscopic techniques. Complex 1 and 3 show an infinite one–dimensional S–type and zigzag aurophilic chain, respectively, whereas complex 2 containing 1‐ethynyl‐1‐cyclohexanol gives an approximate linear two–dimensional aurophilic chain, through intra/intermolecular Au(I)⋯Au(I) interactions as well as hydrogen bonding interactions between hydroxy groups of alkynyl ligands and PTA. Solid complexes 1–8 display strongly room/low–temperature emissive of 477–613 nm with the emission lifetime of 0.40–14.0 μs. All the complexes display higher cytotoxicities against MCF‐7, with the cytotoxicity decreasing in the following order 4>8>5>3>7>6>2>1. Complex 4 and 5 stand out for the highest selectivity towards MCF–7 (IC50=0.63–0.78 μM) compared with normal human embryonic lung fibroblasts (helf) (IC50=14.85–18.13 μM), which makes those complexes attractive for breast cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A composite of two‐dimensional (2D) GeSe2 nanosheets dispersed on N‐doped reduced graphene oxide (GeSe2/N‐rGO) is fabricated via a simple hydrothermal method combined with post‐selenization process. The high electronic conductivity and the substantial void spaces of the wrinkled N‐rGO can improve the electrical conductivity of the active material and accommodate the volume evolution of GeSe2 nanosheets during the (de)lithiation processes, while GeSe2 nanosheets can reduce ion diffusion length effectively. Meanwhile, the unique layered structure is beneficial to the contact of the active material and electrolyte, and the reversibility of conversion reaction has also been improved. Furthermore, kinetics analysis reveals a pseudocapacitance‐dominated Li+‐storage mechanism at high rates. In‐situ X‐ray diffraction analysis discloses that the conversion reaction has played a certain part in Li+‐storage. Thus, the GeSe2/N‐rGO composite delivers excellent rate capability and good long‐term stability with a high reversible capacity of 711.0 mA h g−1 after 2000 cycles at 1 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new composite of hierarchical microspheres assembled by GeO2 nanotubes/nitrogen doped carbon (GeO2/NCS) derived from organic germanium complexes has been fabricated for the first time, which exhibited a high capacity of 789 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 even after 500 cycles and good rate capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]