22 Search Results

Abstract Electrochemical water splitting presents the ultimate potential of hydrogen and oxygen production; however, regulating the rate and efficiency of water splitting is highly dependent on the accessibility of extremely efficient electrode materials for slow performance kinetics and large overpotential of both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Ruthenium oxide (RuO ₂ ) based materials display high performance for OER and HER because of their capacity to bind oxygen, eminent catalytic activity, low cost compared to other precious metals, and stability in a wide pH range. However, there is still much space to promote the OER and HER activity and stability of RuO ₂ to fulfill the necessity for practical applications in water splitting. Different researchers applied multiple approaches that boosted the catalytic performance of RuO ₂ -based electrocatalysts toward overall water splitting. Herein, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in RuO ₂ -based materials in the field of water electrolysis for the generation of alternative energies. It gives a general description of water splitting in acidic and alkaline settings, including reaction mechanisms as well as common evaluation elements for the catalytic function of the materials. Most of the reviews reported based on RuO ₂ materials are only focused on OER performance, but this review highlighted comprehensive ideas on different strategies like morphology design, electronic structure, electrolytes, and compositions for optimizing both electrocatalytic HER and OER functioning of RuO ₂ -based electrocatalysts.

Abstract An amphiphilic block copolymer, poly (styrene-2-polyvinyl pyridine-ethylene oxide), was used as a structure-directing and stabilizing agent to synthesize TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ nanocomposite. The strong interaction of polymers with metal precursors led to formation of a porous heterointerface of TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ . It acted as a bridge for electron transport, which can accelerate the water splitting reaction. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X -ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X -ray diffraction analysis of TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ samples revealed successful fabrication of TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ nanocomposites. The TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ nanocomposites were used to measure electrochemical water splitting in three-electrode systems in 0.1-M KOH. Electrochemical activities unveil that TiO ₂ /RuO ₂ -150 nanocomposites displayed superior oxygen evolution reaction activity, having a low overpotential of 260 mV with a Tafel slope of 80 mVdec ⁻¹ . Graphical abstract

Hydrogen gas is a prominent focus in pursuing renewable and clean alternative energy sources. The quest for maximizing hydrogen production yield involves the exploration of an ideal photocatalyst and the development of a simple, cost-effective technique for its generation. Iron titanate has garnered attention in this context due to its photocatalytic properties, affordability, and non-toxic nature. Over the years, different synthesis routes, different morphologies, and some modifications of iron titanate have been carried out to improve its photocatalytic performance by enhancing light absorption in the visible region, boosting charge carrier transfer, and decreasing recombination of electrons and holes. The use of iron titanate photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction has seen an upward trend in recent times, and based on available findings, more can be done to improve the performance. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of photocatalysis for hydrogen generation, encompassing the synthesis, morphology, and application of iron titanate-based photocatalysts. The discussion delves into the limitations of current methodologies and present and future perspectives for advancing iron titanate photocatalysts. By addressing these limitations and contemplating future directions, the aim is to enhance the properties of materials fabricated for photocatalytic water splitting.

Electrocatalytically active titanium oxynitride (TiNO) thin films were fabricated on commercially available titanium metal plates using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method for energy storage applications. The elemental composition and nature of bonding were analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to reveal the reacting species and active sites responsible for the enhanced electrochemical performance of the TiNO electrodes. Symmetric supercapacitor devices were fabricated using two TiNO working electrodes separated by an ion-transporting layer to analyze their real-time performance. The galvanostatic charge-discharge studies on the symmetric cell have indicated that TiNO films deposited on the polycrystalline titanium plates at lower temperatures are superior to TiNO films deposited at higher temperatures in terms of storage characteristics. For example, TiNO films deposited at 300°C exhibited the highest specific capacity of 69 mF/cm2 at 0.125 mA/cm2 with an energy density of 7.5 Wh/cm2. The performance of this supercapacitor (300oC TiNO) device is also found to be ~ 22 % better compared to that of a 500oC TiNO supercapacitor with a capacitance retention ability of 90% after 1000 cycles. The difference in the electrochemical storage and capacitance properties is attributed to the reduced leaching away of oxygen from the TiNO films by the Ti plate at lower deposition temperatures, leading to higher oxygen content in the TiNO films and, consequently, a high redox activity at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Shipping is one of the most efficient transportation modes for moving freight globally. International regulations concerning decarbonization and emission reduction goals drive rapid innovations to meet the 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets. The internal combustion engines used for marine vessels are among the most efficient energy conversion systems. Internal combustion engines dominate the propulsion system architectures for marine shipping, and current marine engines will continue to serve for several decades. However, to meet the aggressive goals of low-carbon-intensity shipping, there is an impetus for further efficiency improvement and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. These factors drive the advancements in engine technologies, low-carbon fuels and fueling infrastructure, and emissions control systems. This editorial presents a perspective on the future of ship engines and the role of low-life cycle-carbon-fuels in decarbonizing the marine shipping sector. A selection of zero-carbon, net-zero carbon, and low-lifecycle-carbon-fuels are reviewed. This work focuses on the opportunities and challenges of displacing distillate fossil fuels for decarbonizing marine shipping. In conclusion, enabling technologies such as next-generation air handling, fuel injection systems, and advanced combustion modes are discussed in the context of their role in the future of low-CO₂ intensity shipping.

Titanium nitride thin films have been grown on c-plane sapphire substrates using a pulsed laser deposition technique in the thickness range of 6–45 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has demonstrated TiN (111) as the preferred orientation of growth on the sapphire substrates. The XRD measurements have also indicated that orientational alignment between the TiN and the sapphire improved with an increase in the TiN film thickness. A change in the resistivity behavior of the TiN thin films from metallic to semiconducting has been observed as the TiN film thickness is reduced below 15 nm. Analyzing and fitting of TiN films’ conductivity data have shown that while the Arrhenius law governs their conductivity in the temperature range of 300–350 K, conductivity values of the films follow the variable range hopping mechanism below 300 K.

W-ZrC composites were successfully prepared by reactive melt infiltration (RMI) of stoichiometric and excess amounts of Zr₂Cu into sintered and un-sintered WC preforms made from binder jet 3D printing. The focus of this work was to study the conversion of reactant powders and liquid infiltrant with varying preform density and infiltrant amount by controlling the processing time to reach high conversion yield while understanding the phase composition, microstructure, and hardness. To investigate the effect of time, the reactive melt infiltration was conducted at 1400 °C for 2, 4 and 8 h in a furnace with 96% Ar - 4% H2 gas atmosphere. The increase in reaction time from 2 to 8 h increased the W and W₂C phase contents and decreased the ZrC phase content when using sintered WC preforms. Samples prepared from un-sintered WC preforms exhibited improved reactive melt infiltration compared to sintered samples, and there was no detectable W₂C phase and nearly full consumption of WC. Similar to sintered WC samples, the content of W and ZrC phases increased with the increase in time from 2 to 8 h. The interfaces and phases at reaction interfaces were investigated using electron diffraction analysis and S/TEM-EDS to understand material stability; the phases were identified and consistent with XRD analysis. Additionally, there was no Cu present at the interfaces. Increasing the amount of infiltrant led to better reactive melt infiltration. In general, the hardness increased with reaction time and the highest Vickers hardness was found in the W-ZrC sample formed from sintered WC reacted with excess Zr₂Cu. Finally, this research addresses the critical comparison of sintering and RMI time and shows that by using un-sintered samples for 8 h we are able to achieve W-ZrC composites with fewer undesired phases.

TiN_xO_y (TiNO) thin films with superior electrochemical properties have been synthesized in situ using a pulsed laser deposition method and a varied oxygen partial pressure from 5 to 25 mTorr. In this study, the electrochemical overpotential of these TiNO films for water oxidation was found to be as low as 290 mV at 10 mA/cm², which is among the lowest overpotential values reported. The Tafel slopes, indicative of a rate of increase of electrode potential with respect to current, for these films are determined to be in the range of 85–57 mV/decade. These results further demonstrate the superiority of TiNO thin film as electrocatalyst for water oxidation to generate fossil-free fuels. The improvement in the electrocatalytic behavior of the semiconducting TiNO thin films is explained based on an adjustment in the valence band maximum edge and an enhancement in the number of electrochemically active sites. Both effects are realized by the substitution of N by O, forming a TiNO lattice that is isostructural with the rock-salt TiN lattice. These findings appear to assume significant importance in light of water electrolysis to produce fuels for the development of environmentally friendly power sources.

Dense Pd, Pd-Cu and Pd-Ag composite membranes on microporous stainless steel substrate (MPSS) were fabricated by a novel electroless plating (EP) process. In the conventional Pd-EP process, the oxidation-reduction reactions between Pd-complex and hydrazine result in an evolution of NH{sub 3} and N{sub 2} gas bubbles. When adhered to the substrate surface and in the pores, these gas bubbles hinder uniform Pd-film deposition which results in dendrite growth leading to poor film formation. This problem was addressed by introducing cationic surfactant in the electroless plating process known as surfactant induced electroless plating (SIEP). The unique features of this innovation provide control of Pd-deposition rate, and Pd-grain size distribution. The surfactant molecules play an important role in the EP process by tailoring grain size and the process of agglomeration by removing tiny gas bubbles through adsorption at the gas-liquid interface. As a result surfactant can tailor a nanocrystalline Pd, Cu and Ag deposition in the film resulting in reduced membrane film thickness. Also, it produces a uniform, agglomerated film structure. The Pd-Cu and Pd-Ag membranes on MPSS support were fabricated by sequential deposition using SIEP method. The pre- and post-annealing characterizations of these membranes (Pd, Pd-Cu and Pd-Ag on MPSS substrate) were carried out by SEM, EDX, XRD, and AFM studies. The SEM images show significant improvement of the membrane surface morphology, in terms of metal grain structures and grain agglomeration compared to the membranes fabricated by conventional EP process. The SEM images and helium gas-tightness studies indicate that dense and thinner films of Pd, Pd-Cu and Pd-Ag membranes can be produced with shorter deposition time using surfactant. H{sub 2} Flux through the membranes fabricated by SIEP shows large improvement compared to those by CEP with comparable permselectivity. Pd-MPSS composite membrane was subjected to test for long term performance and thermal cycling (573 - 723 - 573 K) at 15 psi pressure drop for 1200 hours. Pd membranes showed excellent hydrogen permeability and thermal stability during the operational period. Under thermal cycling (573 K - 873 K - 573 K), Pd-Cu-MPSS membrane was stable and retained hydrogen permeation characteristics for over three months of operation. From this limited study, we conclude that SIEP is viable method for fabrication of defect-free, robust Pd-alloy membranes for high-temperature H{sub 2}-separation applications.