Quantum confinement-induced anti-electrooxidation of metallic nickel electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation

Yuanyuan Zhou, Wei Yuan, Mengting Li, Zhenyang Xie, Xiaoyun Song, Yang Yang, Jian Wang, Li Li, Wei Ding (), Wen-Feng Lin () and Zidong Wei ()
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Yuanyuan Zhou: Chongqing University
Wei Yuan: Chongqing University
Mengting Li: Chongqing University
Zhenyang Xie: Chongqing University
Xiaoyun Song: Chongqing University
Yang Yang: Loughborough University
Jian Wang: Chongqing University
Li Li: Chongqing University
Wei Ding: Chongqing University
Wen-Feng Lin: Loughborough University
Zidong Wei: Chongqing University

Nature Energy, 2024, vol. 9, issue 10, 1297-1309

Abstract: Abstract The anion-exchange-membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) is an attractive and cost-effective energy-conversion technology because it can use Earth-abundant and low-cost non-precious metal catalysts. However, non-precious metals used in AEMFCs to catalyse the hydrogen oxidation reaction are prone to self-oxidation, resulting in irreversible failure. Here we show a quantum well-like catalytic structure (QWCS), constructed by atomically confining Ni nanoparticles within a carbon-doped-MoOx/MoOx heterojunction (C-MoOx/MoOx) that can selectively transfer external electrons from the hydrogen oxidation reaction while remaining itself metallic. Electrons of Ni nanoparticles gain a barrier of 1.11 eV provided by the QWCS leading to Ni stability up to 1.2 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE) whereas electrons released from the hydrogen oxidation reaction easily cross the barrier by a gating operation of QWCS upon hydrogen adsorption. The QWCS-catalysed AEMFC achieved a high-power density of 486 mW mgNi−1 and withstood hydrogen starvation operations during shutdown–start cycles, whereas a counterpart AEMFC without QWCS failed in a single cycle.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41560-024-01604-9

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