A analysis workforce headed by Professor Liang Chen on the Ningbo Institute of Supplies Expertise and Engineering (NIMTE), a part of the Chinese language Academy of Scienceshas engineered a high-entropy electrocatalyst able to effectively producing each hydrogen and helpful glycerol-derived chemical substances. The examine was revealed within the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
Synthesis of high-entropy nanostructured PtCuCoNiMn electrocatalysts. Picture Credit score: NIMTE
Hydrogen is a flexible power provider and a vital industrial fuel with quite a few functions. Producing hydrogen by water electrolysis has gained consideration as a sustainable and cost-effective power conversion and storage technique.
Nevertheless, this strategy’s business viability is hindered by the low catalytic exercise and excessive overpotential of the oxygen evolution response (OER) on the anode, which results in inefficient power conversion and better operational prices.
To beat this limitation, the researchers designed and synthesized a high-entropy nanostructured catalyst composed of platinum, copper, cobalt, nickel, and manganese (PtCuCoNiMn).
Glycerate, a high-value chemical, could be synthesized from glycerol through a sequential electro-oxidation course of that’s extra energy-efficient than conventional oxygen evolution reactions (OERs).
Research have proven that incorporating metals reminiscent of Cu, Pt, Co, Mn, and Ni considerably improves the catalytic exercise and selectivity for glycerate formation. At a excessive present density of 200 mA cm⁻², the optimized catalyst achieved a formidable selectivity of 75.2%, highlighting its excellent efficiency in electro-oxidation functions.
When carried out in an electrolyzer, the catalyst exhibited exceptional stability, efficiently sustaining high-performance glycerol electro-oxidation reactions for over 210 hours.
This analysis presents a sustainable and environment friendly technique for producing inexperienced hydrogen whereas concurrently synthesizing high-value chemical substances by electrocatalysis. It represents a big development in the direction of reaching carbon peaking and carbon neutrality aims.
Journal Reference:
Wang, S., et al. (2025) Nanoscale high-entropy floor engineering promotes selective glycerol electro-oxidation to glycerate at excessive present density. Nature Nanotechnology. doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-01881-9.
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