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Nano Research 2021, 14(5): 1443-1449 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-020-3200-3
Research Article | Issue | Published: 19 November 2020

Highly selective electrocatalytic Cl- oxidation reaction by oxygen-modified cobalt nanoparticles immobilized carbon nanofibers for coupling with brine water remediation and H2 production

Show Author's Information Qizhong Xiong1,  Xian Zhang2( ),  Qipeng Cheng1,  Guoqiang Liu3,  Gang Xu1,  Junli Li1,  Xinxin Ye1( ),  Hongjian Gao1
Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
Keywords:
carbon nanofibers, oxygen-modified cobalt nanoparticles, brine water, Cl- oxidation reaction, electrocatalytic H2 production
Topics:
Carbon nanofibers CobaltElectrocatalysis ElectrocatalystsElectrodesElectrolytesNanocatalystsNanoparticlesOxidationOxygenSynthesis (chemical)
Cite this article:
Xiong Q, Zhang X, Cheng Q, et al. Highly selective electrocatalytic Cl- oxidation reaction by oxygen-modified cobalt nanoparticles immobilized carbon nanofibers for coupling with brine water remediation and H2 production. Nano Research, 2021, 14(5): 1443-1449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-020-3200-3
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Combining the H2 production with brine remediation is regarded as a sustainable approach to achieving clean H2 energy. However, designing stable Cl- oxidation reaction (COR) electrocatalyst is the key to realize this route. Herein, a type of oxygen-modified Co nanoparticles anchored graphitic carbon nanofibers catalyst (Co/GCFs) was synthesized through a two-step strategy of adsorption and pyrolysis. The Co/GCFs-2.4 exhibits high selectivity and stability for COR at neutral electrolyte. It is worth noting that unlike the water oxidation, the chemical valence of cobalt has not changed during the COR. Further results demonstrated that the oxygen-modified Co nanoparticles provide active sites for selective COR, meanwhile, the graphitic carbon gives rise to strong catalytic stability. Thanks to the superior COR and H2 production activity of Co/GCFs-2.4, a two-electrode brine electrocatalysis system employing Co/GCFs-2.4 as both cathode and anode for H2 production exhibited robust stability, efficient and high Faraday efficiency (98%-100%). We propose that this work provides a novel strategy for designing efficient and stable catalysts with electrocatalytic COR and HER activities at neutral brine water for practically coupling with H2 production by water electrolysis and brine water remediation.


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About this article

Highly selective electrocatalytic Cl- oxidation reaction by oxygen-modified cobalt nanoparticles immobilized carbon nanofibers for coupling with brine water remediation and H2 production

Show Author's information Qizhong Xiong1, Xian Zhang2( ), Qipeng Cheng1, Guoqiang Liu3, Gang Xu1, Junli Li1, Xinxin Ye1( ), Hongjian Gao1
Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China

Abstract

Combining the H2 production with brine remediation is regarded as a sustainable approach to achieving clean H2 energy. However, designing stable Cl- oxidation reaction (COR) electrocatalyst is the key to realize this route. Herein, a type of oxygen-modified Co nanoparticles anchored graphitic carbon nanofibers catalyst (Co/GCFs) was synthesized through a two-step strategy of adsorption and pyrolysis. The Co/GCFs-2.4 exhibits high selectivity and stability for COR at neutral electrolyte. It is worth noting that unlike the water oxidation, the chemical valence of cobalt has not changed during the COR. Further results demonstrated that the oxygen-modified Co nanoparticles provide active sites for selective COR, meanwhile, the graphitic carbon gives rise to strong catalytic stability. Thanks to the superior COR and H2 production activity of Co/GCFs-2.4, a two-electrode brine electrocatalysis system employing Co/GCFs-2.4 as both cathode and anode for H2 production exhibited robust stability, efficient and high Faraday efficiency (98%-100%). We propose that this work provides a novel strategy for designing efficient and stable catalysts with electrocatalytic COR and HER activities at neutral brine water for practically coupling with H2 production by water electrolysis and brine water remediation.

Keywords: carbon nanofibers, oxygen-modified cobalt nanoparticles, brine water, Cl- oxidation reaction, electrocatalytic H2 production

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 22 July 2020
Revised: 13 October 2020
Accepted: 20 October 2020
Published: 19 November 2020
Issue date: May 2021

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51902312), Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (Nos. 1908085QC139 and 1908085QB83), the Youth Science Fund of Anhui Agricultural University (No. 2018zd25), the Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Anhui Province (No. 2008085J13), the Key research and development Project of Anhui Province (No. 1804h07020148) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Nos. JZ2019HGBH0204 and PA2019GDPK0061). The authors thank the 1W1B station for XAFS measurement in Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

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