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Old materials, new life: Using diffusion-controlled synthesis for discovery of novel alloy systems
(2023)
Multi principal element alloy (MPEAs) concept allows us to rethink how we develop application-tailored, sustainable materials. The vast composition space leads to nearly indefinite material combinations and will facilitate finding Pareto optimal materials with lower CO2 footprint and avoidance of critical minerals as design criteria. To probe this large compositional space efficiently, the use high-throughput screening methods is inevitable. Diffusion-controlled synthesis of gradient materials is the optimal technique for screening complex compositional materials that would otherwise require comprehensive modelling or experimental efforts.
In this study, we have used a series of diffusion couples of pure metals and alloys with the aim to create a materials library with correlated data on composition and microstructure. With future recycling prospects in mind, and possible applications of Cu containing alloys in electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction and antimicrobial alloys we have generated diffusion couples of brass (Cu63Zn37) and bronze (Cu89Sn11) with either pure metals (Fe, Ni, etc.) or with binary or ternary alloys (FeNi, FeNiCr etc.). For different diffusion times and temperatures, we calculated diffusion constants for the material combinations. Following a detailed characterisation of the gradient materials, we have investigated general and local corrosion properties, electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CRR) as well as mechanical properties (hardness, elastic modulus) on single-phase alloys synthesized in bulk by means of vacuum arc-melting based on the selected local compositions.
In most cases, due to the short diffusion times, the contact between the diffusion couples lead to two separate diffusion zones and thus, different alloy families on both sides. Especially with ternary alloys, interesting selective diffusion processes and unexpected repulsion effects were observed. The presentation will provide an overview of the gradient materials with a focus on the functional properties of single-phase alloy families derived from them.
Multi-principal element alloy (MPEA) nanoparticle electrocatalysts have the potential to provide a cost-effective and efficient alternative to noble metal electrocatalysts. The chemically complex nature and the high configurational entropy of MPEAs offer advantages in tailoring catalytic activity, product selectivity, and improved stability under harsh reaction conditions. Cu-containing bimetallic catalyst systems have already been demonstrated to lead to a significant increase in catalytic efficiency compared to monometallic systems. Thus, this project aims at the design of Cu-containing MPEAs and nanoparticle electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction reaction.
In this project, base alloys were prepared by means of arc melting with subsequent homogenization treatments and processed by pulsed laser ablation in water and organic solvents into high-purity nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Electrochemical testing was performed both on bulk alloy samples and nanoparticle film coated glassy carbon electrodes by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Nanoparticle coated electrodes have been investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) to assure a homogeneous distribution on the electrode surface. The presentation will summarize our initial results on the electrocatalytic activity of Cu-MPEA system for carbon dioxide reduction.
The motivation and overall objective of the project are to develop electrocatalysts that are free of noble metals (e.g., Pt or Au) and are instead based on medium and high entropy alloys (MEA\HEA) of transition metals for the electrochemical reduction of CO2.
The MEA\HEA are multi principal element alloys (MPEAs) consisting of more than three elements with almost equal alloying proportions, forming solid solutions without intermetallic phases. In such a crystal structure, the individual elements are well mixed, and each atom has different nearest neighbours. In catalysis, especially in selectivity, it is precisely this atomic chaos that matters. Due to the large number of possible combinations of elements, these materials offer excellent conditions to tune their functional properties for specific applications.
Especially, catalyst systems in which Cu is combined with another metallic component show a significant increase in catalytic efficiency compared to monometallic systems. Since the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability of electrocatalysts strongly depend on the size and surface, systematic studies on the influence of the organic stabilizers on heterogeneous catalysis are also of interest.
The focus of this project is to design Cu-based MEA\HEA electrocatalysts on the atomic level. For this purpose, base alloys will be prepared, processed into high-purity nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation, and tested as electrocatalysts.
Efficient water electrolysis requires highly active electrodes. The activity of corresponding catalytic coatings strongly depends on material properties such as film thickness, crystallinity, electrical conductivity, and chemical surface speciation. Measuring these properties with high accuracy in vacuum-free and nondestructive methods facilitates the elucidation of structure−activity relationships in realistic environments. Here, we report a novel approach to analyze the optical and electrical properties of highly active oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts via spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Using a series of differently calcined, mesoporous, templated iridium oxide films as an example, we assess the film thickness, porosity, electrical resistivity, electron concentration, electron mobility, and interband and intraband transition energies by modeling of the optical spectra. Independently performed analyses using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, ellipsometric porosimetry, X-ray reflectometry, and absorption spectroscopy indicate a high accuracy of the deduced material properties. A comparison of the derived analytical data from SE, resonant photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with activity measurements of the OER suggests that the intrinsic activity of iridium oxides scales with a shift of the Ir 5d t2g sub-level and an increase of p−d interband transition energies caused by a transition of μ1-OH to μ3-O species.
Rising energy demand and the impending climate change require the development of a sustainable, fossil-free fuel and chemical production on a global scale. Hydrogen production via water electrolysis will be a fundamental cornerstone in this endeavor. The activity and stability of respective electrode coatings strongly depends on the coating's properties, i.e. phase composition, crystallinity, electrical conductivity, accessible surface, wettability and many other factors. The key to the development of improved catalysts is a better understanding of the relations between their performance, stability and physicochemical properties. However, those relations can be complex, and are strongly influenced also by the reaction environment. Hence, operando analysis of the catalyst material during catalysis at realistic potentials and current densities is highly desirable. Yet, many analytical techniques cannot be applied in liquid environments at realistic potentials and current densities.
We propose environmental ellipsometric analysis in a dedicated electrochemical flow cell as a new method to evaluate gas evolution reactions operando under realistic working conditions. Figure 1 illustrates schematically the developed technique. Key factors to success are highly active model-type catalysts with template-controlled porosity, a suitable sample environment, a deep understanding of the spectroscopic method and respective model development, as well as concise cross validation with numerous other analytical techniques.
The method was developed and validated by analyzing a calcination series (300 - 600°C) of mesoporous templated IrOx films ex-situ and operando under oxygen evolution reaction (OER) conditions. The employed environmental electrochemical spectroscopic ellipsometric analysis (ECSE) revealed during OER the change of optical and electronic properties, i.e. the dielectric functions (real ε1 and imaginary part ε2), electrical and electronic properties such as resistivity (ρ) and band-to-band transitions (p-d band transitions). Film thickness and porosity were validated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray reflectometry (XRR) or ellipsometric porosimetry (EP), electrical and electronic properties by means of conductivity measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. The electronic structures of the catalysts from valence electron energy loss spectra (VEELS) derived from the real (ε1) and imaginary part (ε2) of the dielectric function from SE measurements reveal a direct correlation with electrochemical activities in OER.
In the presentation reversible and irreversible potential-dependent changes of the catalyst properties during operation will be discussed along with the dynamics of gas formation, transport and dissolution at different potentials.
The energy crisis becomes more prominent in higher altitude countries like Germany, with higher annual energy demand. Thus, the generation of higher energy density fuel like hydrogen from renewable resources become the only way to solve the zero-emission energy system while avoiding the expensive batteries as an energy storage option. Therefore, water electrolysis cells to produce hydrogen and oxygen by storing of solar/wind energy in chemical bonds is a fruitful alternative for renewable and long-term energy generation. Thus, designing inexpensive water-splitting electrocatalyst material becomes a field of research of utmost importance. High entropy metal hydroxide organic frameworks (HE-MHOFs) are composed of high entropy hydroxide layer inside MOFs, resulting in a high degree of structural complexity and diversity than conventional MOFs. The concept of ‘high entropy’ refers to multiple types of metal ions (Metal = TM) in a near equimolar ratio in the same framework, creating a high degree of disorder and many possible structural configurations. Here, the HE-MHOF successfully synthesized by a conventional solvothermal process, crystallizes in the single phase with significant lattice distortion. A special-quasi-random (SQS) structure was simulated with equimolar compositions (~20% TM = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) and a comparison was made with the ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy), XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) and XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure) observations. Further, the elemental mapping (Energy dispersive Spectroscopy) of HE-MHOF shows the presence of all five different metals in the same crystallite to substantiate the ‘high entropy’ state of the MOF. The HE-MHOF offers improved thermal stability than mono-metallic MHOF and exhibit unique properties compared to traditional monometallic (Ni2+) MOF variants. Firstly, to elucidate the effect of the multimetallic system on the catalytic performance, we have performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate pre-redox cycles involved in the catalytic activation of HE (and Ni)-MOFs. HE-MHOF is further investigated as an electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to its special high entropy hydroxide layered structure and electronic properties. Our DFT results have examined the traditional proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) steps involving the single transition-metal site. The scrutiny of d-band centers and their behaviour in catalytic upgradation is investigated with density of states (DOS) analysis. It exhibits outstanding performance towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) comparable to the experimental findings, which is also comparable to state-of-the-art OER catalysts based on precious metals such as iridium oxide and platinum carbon. We have considered different electrolyte solutions to elucidate the fast kinetics oxygen evolution reaction in the presence of various external nucleophilic anions. In hydroxyl-based MOFs, electrolytes' influence can substantially enhance catalytic activities. Here, with the help of DFT simulations, we have investigated the effect of the nucleophilicity of anion on each elementary reaction involved in the PCET mechanism of OER.
Coordination polymers can be used as sacrificial templates to prepare nitrogen- and metal doped carbons (NMCs), which are promising catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. We at BAM employ mechanochemistry as a "green" synthetic approach to coordiantion polymers, which are throroughly characterized by methods such as XRD, XPS and sorption studies. Our collaborators can prepare NMCs from our coordination polymers and assess the catalytic activity thereof.
Noble metal-free nanoparticles (NPs) based on multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) were synthesized using a one-step pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLALs) method for the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Laser ablation was performed in pure water or poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC)-containing an aqueous solution of Al8Cr17Co17Cu8Fe17Ni33 MPEA targets. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements combined with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping were used to characterize the structure and composition of the laser-generated MPEA nanoparticles (MPEA-NPs). These results confirmed the presence of a characteristic elemental distribution of a core-shell phase structure as the predominant NP species. The electrocatalytic performance of the laser-generated MPEA-NPs was characterized by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) demonstrating an enhanced electrocatalytic CO2 activity for PDADMAC-stabilized NPs. The findings of these investigations indicate that MPEAs have great potential to replace conventional, expensive noble metal electrocatalysts.
This study shows remarkably different features between the oxidation of secondary and primary C₃-C₅ alcohols. The oxidation of primary alcohols is controlled by the oxidative removal of blocking adsorbates, such as CO, formed after the dissociative adsorption of alcohol molecules. Conversely, secondary alcohols do not undergo dissociative adsorption and therefore their oxidation is purely controlled by the energetics of the elementary reaction steps. In this respect, a different role of ruthenium is revealed for the electrooxidation of primary and secondary alcohols on bimetallic platinum-ruthenium catalysts. Ruthenium enhances the oxidation of primary alcohols via the established bifunctional mechanism, in which the adsorption of (hydr)oxide species that are necessary to remove the blocking adsorbates is favored. In contrast, the oxidation of secondary alcohols is enhanced by the Ru-assisted stabilization of an O-bound intermediate that is involved in the potential-limiting step. This alternative pathway enables the oxidation of secondary alcohols close to the equilibrium potential.