Promoting electrocatalysis upon aerogels
Open accessAbstract
Electrocatalysis plays a prominent role in renewable energy conversion and storage, enabling a number of sustainable processes for future technologies. There are generally three strategies to improve the efficiency (or activity) of the electrocatalysts: i) increasing the intrinsic activity of the catalyst itself, ii) improving the exposure of active sites, and iii) accelerating mass transfer during catalysis (both reactants and products). These strategies are not mutually exclusive and can ideally be addressed simultaneously, leading to the largest improvements in activity. Aerogels, as featured by large surface area, high porosity, and self-supportability, provide a platform that matches all the aforementioned criteria for the design of efficient electrocatalysts. The field of aerogel synthesis has seen much progress in recent years, mainly thanks to the rapid development of nanotechnology. Employing precursors with different properties enables the resulting aerogel with targeted catalytic properties and improved performances. Here, the design strategies of aerogel catalysts are demonstrated, and their performance for several electrochemical reactions is reviewed. The common principles that govern electrocatalysis are further discussed for each category of reactions, thus serving as a guide to the development of future aerogel electrocatalysts.
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Mo0.5-NiSe2-CoSe2 aerogel had a fluffy structure with massive exposed active sites.
“the low-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of typical Mo0.5-NiSe2-CoSe2 exhibited the fluffy structure of aerogel (Fig. 2(a)) with massive exposed active sites [37].”
From Interface and electronic structure regulation of Mo-doped NiSe2-CoSe2 heterostructure aerogel for efficient overall water splitting (2023) · cites this paper as [37]
3D metallic aerogels show great potential in electrocatalysis because of their conductive and self-supporting skeletons, abundant exposed active sites, and interconnected mass transport pathways.
“Among various”
From Phosphorus doped nickel-molybdenum aerogel for efficient overall water splitting (2021) · cites this paper as [18]
An enlarged specific surface area can increase the catalytic active sites.
“For instance, the enlarged specific surface area could increase the catalytic active sites, while a hierarchical pore size distribution could promote the mass transfer capability [20].”
From Synthesis of Co2Ni/reduced graphene oxide composite aerogels as efficient hydrogen evolution catalysts (2022) · cites this paper as [20]
A hierarchical pore size distribution can promote the mass transfer capability.
“For instance, the enlarged specific surface area could increase the catalytic active sites, while a hierarchical pore size distribution could promote the mass transfer capability [20].”
From Synthesis of Co2Ni/reduced graphene oxide composite aerogels as efficient hydrogen evolution catalysts (2022) · cites this paper as [20]
The BET value of 321 m2·g−1 is good enough to beat some current high-activity HER catalysts and offers evidence of high exposure of the Pt active sites.
“which is good enough to beat some current high-activity HER catalysts and also offers evidence of high exposure of the Pt active sites.26”
From Highly Dispersed Pt Clusters on F-Doped Tin(IV) Oxide Aerogel Matrix: An Ultra-Robust Hybrid Catalyst for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution (2022) · cites this paper as [26]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Cai, B., & Eychmüller, A.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Cai, Bin
- Eychmüller, Alexander
- Venue
- Advanced Materials
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-12-09
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 31
- Pages
- e1804881-e1804881
- ISSN
- 0935-9648 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-4095
- OpenAlex
- W2904233369
- Cited by
- 225
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 0.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- tud.qucosa.de
- Licence
- Locations
- Advanced Materials (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Qucosa (Saxon State and University Library Dresden) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- European Research Council (ERC‐2013‐AdG AEROCAT)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Spectroscopy › Aerogels and thermal insulation
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication
- Keywords
- electrocatalysis, aerogels, electrocatalyst design, mass transfer, active site exposure, self-supporting catalysts, high surface area, porosity, renewable energy conversion, electrochemical reactions
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