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Free keywords:
bifunctional hydrogen catalysis, finite element simulations, local electric field, RuCu snow-like nanosheets, tip effect, Binary alloys, Catalysis, Electrodes, Electronic properties, Finite element method, Hydrogen, Layered semiconductors, Snow, Tin, Tin alloys, Bi-functional, Bifunctional hydrogen catalyse, Electric field induced, Finite elements simulation, Hydrogen evolution reactions, Hydrogen oxidation reaction, Induced electric fields, Local electric field, Rucu snow-like nanosheet, Tip effect, Nanosheets
Abstract:
Local electric field induced by the lightning-rod effect attracts great attention for regulating the local microenvironment and electronic properties of active sites. Nevertheless, local electric-field-assisted applications are mainly limited to metals with strong surface plasmonic resonance properties (e.g., Au, Ag, and Cu). Herein, we fabricate RuCu snow-like nanosheets (SNSs) with high-curvature nanotips for enhancing the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Theoretical simulations show that RuCu SNSs can induce a strong local electric field around the sharp nanotips, which favors the accumulation of OH- for HOR and H+ for HER. Cu incorporation can modulate the binding strength of OH* and H*, leading to significantly enhanced HOR and HER performance. Impressively, the mass activity of RuCu SNSs for alkaline HOR is 31.3 times higher than that of RuCu nanocrystals without sharp tips. Besides, the required overpotential for reaching 10 mA cm-2 during HER over RuCu SNSs is 14.0 mV. © 2023 American Chemical Society.
