Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 12285

Special Issue Editor

College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Interests: photocatalysis; electrocatalysis; nanomaterials; fabrication; photoelectrocatalysis; water splitting; pollution degradation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The graphene is considered an excellent nanomaterial in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis due to its distinctive physical and chemical properties. The proposed thematic issue is dedicated to novel achievements in the graphene and its derivative-based nanocomposite materials associated with electro‎catalysis and photocatalysis. ‎

The thematic issue is to help researchers to focus on the most recent advances in the preparation, characterization, and application of ‎graphene-based catalytic materials and nanocatalysts.‎ This issue will feature papers by leading authors in the field and focus on graphene-based nanomaterials for application in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis.

Contributions should be related to the listed topics related to the graphene and its derivative based nanomaterials:

  • Electrocatalysis;
  • Photocatalysis.

This issue may also include reviews covering the impacts and inspiration of the graphene and its derivative-based nanomaterials in these fields.

Prof. Dr. Lihua Bi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • graphene
  • hybrid material
  • preparation
  • characterization
  • application
  • electrocatalysis
  • photocatalysis

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5147 KiB  
Article
First Two-Way Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of the Pollutant 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine and Its Metabolite Based on Cu-Containing Tungstophosphate and Graphene Oxide
by Xiaolei Yan, Xiaoxia Yu, Jianye Pei and Lihua Bi
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040769 - 18 Apr 2023
Viewed by 929
Abstract
2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) is a toxic organic pollutant which is highly threatening to human beings and their living environment. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop sensors for detecting 2,4-DNPH and its metabolites. To develop a two-way electrochemical sensor for the detection of [...] Read more.
2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) is a toxic organic pollutant which is highly threatening to human beings and their living environment. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop sensors for detecting 2,4-DNPH and its metabolites. To develop a two-way electrochemical sensor for the detection of 2,4-DNPH and its metabolite, Cu-containing tungstophosphate (Na16P4W30Cu4(H2O)2O112·nH2O, Cu4P4W30) was selected to study its electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of 2,4-DNPH and oxidation of its metabolite. First, the electrochemical behavior of Cu4P4W30 was investigated in solution; then, the films containing Cu4P4W30 and graphene oxide (GO) were fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO) to form the modified ITO/PDDA/(Cu4P4W30/PDDA-GO)n electrode and the effect of the layer number on the electrocatalytic performance of the modified electrode was studied, confirming the optimal film layer number. Furthermore, the sensing performance of the modified electrode was tested, giving a linear concentration range and detection limit. Finally, the stability, repeatability, and reproducibility of the modified electrode were evaluated. The findings demonstrated that the proposed electrode acted as a two-way electrochemical sensor for the detection of 2,4-DNPH and its metabolite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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14 pages, 4135 KiB  
Article
Assembly of Smart Microgels and Hybrid Microgels on Graphene Sheets for Catalytic Reduction of Nitroarenes
by Muhammad Hashaam, Sarmed Ali, Tahreem Khan, Muhammad Salman, Shanza Rauf Khan, Amjad Islam Aqib, Tean Zaheer, Shamsa Bibi, Saba Jamil, Merfat S. Al-Sharif, Samy F. Mahmoud and Wangyuan Yao
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101172 - 05 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1353
Abstract
Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid) [p(NIPAM-AAc)] microgel was successfully fabricated using the precipitation polymerization method. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles and graphene oxide (G) were used to fabricate the following hybrid microgels: Ag-p(NIPAM-AAc) (Ag-HMG), Ag-G-p(NIPAM-AAc) (Ag-G-HMG), and G-p(NIPAM-AAc) (G-HMG). Ag-HMG, Ag-G-HMG, and G-HMG were characterized using a [...] Read more.
Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid) [p(NIPAM-AAc)] microgel was successfully fabricated using the precipitation polymerization method. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles and graphene oxide (G) were used to fabricate the following hybrid microgels: Ag-p(NIPAM-AAc) (Ag-HMG), Ag-G-p(NIPAM-AAc) (Ag-G-HMG), and G-p(NIPAM-AAc) (G-HMG). Ag-HMG, Ag-G-HMG, and G-HMG were characterized using a Zetasizer and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The reduction of a series of different compounds with comparable and distinct chemical structures was catalyzed by synthesized Ag-HMG, Ag-G-HMG, and G-HMG hybrid microgels. The average size of Ag nanoparticles was found to be ~50 nm. Ag nanoparticles were synthesized within microgels attached to G sheets. Ag-p(NIPAM-AAc), Ag-G-p(NIPAM-AAc), and G-p(NIPAM-AAc) hybrid microgels were used for the catalytic reduction of nitroarenes and dyes. By comparing their apparent rate constant (kapp), reduction duration, and percentage reduction, the activity of HMG (hybrid microgel) as a catalyst towards different substrates was investigated. Graphene sheets play role in electron relay among Ag nanoparticles and microgels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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21 pages, 3414 KiB  
Article
An In-Depth Exploration of the Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) Phenomenon on Carbon-Based Catalysts in Alkaline and Acidic Mediums
by Niladri Talukder, Yudong Wang, Bharath Babu Nunna and Eon Soo Lee
Catalysts 2022, 12(7), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12070791 - 19 Jul 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4459
Abstract
Detailed studies of the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on catalyst materials are crucial to improving the performance of different electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems (e.g., fuel cells and batteries), as well as numerous chemical synthesis processes. In the effort to reduce [...] Read more.
Detailed studies of the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on catalyst materials are crucial to improving the performance of different electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems (e.g., fuel cells and batteries), as well as numerous chemical synthesis processes. In the effort to reduce the loading of expensive platinum group metal (PGM)-based catalysts for ORR in the electrochemical systems, many carbon-based catalysts have already shown promising results and numerous investigations on those catalysts are in progress. Most of these studies show the catalyst materials’ ORR performance as current density data obtained through the rotating disk electrode (RDE), rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) experiments taking cyclic voltammograms (CV) or linear sweep voltammograms (LSV) approaches. However, the provided descriptions or interpretations of those data curves are often ambiguous and recondite which can lead to an erroneous understanding of the ORR phenomenon in those specific systems and inaccurate characterization of the catalyst materials. In this paper, we presented a study of ORR on a newly developed carbon-based catalyst, the nitrogen-doped graphene/metal-organic framework (N-G/MOF), through RDE and RRDE experiments in both alkaline and acidic mediums, taking the LSV approach. The functions and crucial considerations for the different parts of the RDE/RRDE experiment such as the working electrode, reference electrode, counter electrode, electrolyte, and overall RDE/RRDE process are delineated which can serve as guidelines for the new researchers in this field. Experimentally obtained LSV curves’ shapes and their correlations with the possible ORR reaction pathways within the applied potential range are discussed in depth. We also demonstrated how the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a possible intermediate of ORR, in the alkaline electrolyte and the concentration of acid in the acidic electrolyte can maneuver the ORR current density output in compliance with the possible ORR pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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16 pages, 5697 KiB  
Article
Photoreduction of CO2 into CH4 Using Novel Composite of Triangular Silver Nanoplates on Graphene-BiVO4
by Zhen Zhu, Bo-Xun Jiang, Ren-Jang Wu, Cheng-Liang Huang and You Chang
Catalysts 2022, 12(7), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12070750 - 07 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1740
Abstract
Plasmonic photocatalysis, combing noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) with semiconductors, has been widely studied and proven to perform better than pure semiconductors. The plasmonic effects are mainly based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of NMNPs. The LSPR wavelength depends on several parameters, [...] Read more.
Plasmonic photocatalysis, combing noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) with semiconductors, has been widely studied and proven to perform better than pure semiconductors. The plasmonic effects are mainly based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of NMNPs. The LSPR wavelength depends on several parameters, such as size, shape, the surrounding media, and the interdistance of the NMNPs. In this study, graphene-modified plate-like BiVO4 composites, combined with silver nanoplates (AgNPts), were successfully prepared and used as a photocatalyst for CO2 photoconversion. Triangular silver nanoplates (TAgNPts), icosahedral silver nanoparticles (I-AgNPs), and decahedra silver nanoparticles (D-AgNPs) were synthesized using photochemical methods and introduced to the nanocomposites to compare the shape-dependent plasmonic effect. Among them, T-AgNPts/graphene/BiVO4 exhibited the highest photoreduction efficiency of CO2 to CH4, at 18.1 μmolg−1h−1, which is 5.03 times higher than that of pure BiVO4 under the irradiation of a Hg lamp. A possible CO2 photoreduction mechanism was proposed to explain the synergetic effect of each component in TAgNPts/graphene/BiVO4. This high efficiency reveals the importance of considering the compositions of photocatalysts for converting CO2 to solar fuels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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14 pages, 4494 KiB  
Article
Application of Composite Film Containing Polyoxometalate Ni25 and Reduced Graphene Oxide for Photoelectrocatalytic Water Oxidation
by Jianye Pei and Lihua Bi
Catalysts 2022, 12(7), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12070696 - 24 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1339
Abstract
The preparation of clean energy is an effective way to solve the global energy crisis and reduce environmental pollution. The decomposition of water can produce hydrogen and oxygen, which is one of the effective ways to prepare clean energy. However, water oxidation is [...] Read more.
The preparation of clean energy is an effective way to solve the global energy crisis and reduce environmental pollution. The decomposition of water can produce hydrogen and oxygen, which is one of the effective ways to prepare clean energy. However, water oxidation is a bottleneck for water decomposition, thus, developing a water oxidation catalyst can accelerate the process of water decomposition to generate clean energy. Nickel-substituted polyoxometalate [Ni25(H2O)2(OH)18(CO3)2(PO4)6(SiW9O34)6]50− (Ni25) is proven as an excellent water oxidation photocatalyst. To develop the effective photoelectrocatalyst for water oxidation, in this work, we constructed two composite films containing Ni25 on ITO, [PDDA/Ni25]n, and PDDA/[Ni25/(PDDA–rGO)]n, by layer-by-layer self-assembly, which is the first combination of nickel-substituted polyoxometalates and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The study on the photoelectrocatalytic performance of the two films indicates that the water oxidation current of the film PDDA/[Ni25/(PDDA–rGO)]n-modified electrode is increased by 33.7% after light irradiation, which is 1.71 times that of the film [PDDA/Ni25]n-modified electrode. Moreover, the transient photocurrent response of the film PDDA/[Ni25/(PDDA–rGO)]n-modified electrode demonstrates that there is a synergistic effect between rGO and Ni25, and rGO-accelerated electron transport and inhibited charge recombination. In addition, the film PDDA/[Ni25/(PDDA–rGO)]n-modified electrode exhibits good stability, indicating its great potential as an effective photoelectrocatalyst for water oxidation in practical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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12 pages, 3428 KiB  
Article
Graphyne Nanotubes as Promising Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes
by Yuan Yuan, Xiaoxue Song, Jiapeng Ma, Yanqi Chen, Fangfang Wang, Baotao Kang and Jin Yong Lee
Catalysts 2022, 12(6), 670; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12060670 - 19 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1874
Abstract
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising candidates for the replacement of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of sodium’s abundant reserves and the lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. This is a topic of interest for developing novel anodes with high storage capacity. Owing to [...] Read more.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising candidates for the replacement of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of sodium’s abundant reserves and the lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. This is a topic of interest for developing novel anodes with high storage capacity. Owing to their low cost, high stability, and conductivity, carbon-based materials have been studied extensively. However, sp2-C based carbon materials have low-rate capacities. Intensive density functional theory calculations have been implemented to explore the applicability of α, β, and γ graphyne nanotubes (αGyNTs, βGyNTs, and γGyNTs, respectively) as SIB anodes. Results suggest that (3, 0)-αGyNT, (2, 2)-βGyNT, and (4, 0)-γGyNT have, respectively, maximum Na storage capacities of 1535, 1302, and 1001 mAh/g, which exceeds the largest reported value of carbon materials (N-doped graphene foams with 852.6 mAh/g capacity). It was determined that αGyNTs have the largest storage capacity of the three types because they possess the largest specific surface area. Moreover, the larger pores of αGyNTs and βGyNTs allow easier diffusion and penetration of Na atoms compared to those of γGyNTs, which could result in better rate capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene in Photocatalysis/Electrocatalysis)
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