INFEWS N/P/H2O: SusChEM: Collaborative: Controlling Spatial Composition of Nonprecious Metal-based Heteronanostructures for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance

INFEWS N/P/H2O：SusChEM：协作：控制非贵金属基异质纳米结构的空间组成以增强电催化性能

基本信息

批准号：
1703827
负责人：
Jingyi Chen
金额：
$ 45万
依托单位：
University of Arkansas
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-09-01 至 2021-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1703827&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
INFEWS H2O SusChEM Collaborative Controlling

项目摘要

The project addresses catalytic electrochemical processes related to the production of ammonia (NH3) from water and nitrogen, and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) needed to split water to produce hydrogen for energy storage and fuel and chemical production. Both processes offer alternatives to conventional processes that rely on hydrocarbon resources for the needed hydrogen. Thus the project will support NSF's initiatives in the areas of sustainable energy generation and Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water (INFEWS), the latter via the importance of NH3 as the world's primary raw material for nitrogen-based fertilizer production. In particular, the research is aimed at discovering efficient, nonprecious metal nanocatalysts for the targeted electrochemical processes that can operate at ambient temperature conditions rather than the high-temperature conditions required for hydrocarbon-based technologies. The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has the potential to generate NH3 at lower net energy consumption than the traditional Haber-Bosch thermal catalytic process which accounts for between 1 and 2% of world energy consumption. Specifically, the project seeks advances in catalytic electrolyzers for both NRR and OER. The work will focus exclusively on nonprecious metal bimetallic catalysts operating in alkaline electrochemical environments, thus enabling low-cost, technology-enabling alternatives to the precious metals. The project is built on preliminary data suggesting that specific control of the spatial composition and morphology of heterostructured nanoparticles will enable enhanced catalytic activity and also establish fundamental understanding of composition-activity relationships for key bimetallic systems in nanoparticle form. The specific research objectives are: (1) to synthesize and characterize novel heteronanostructures of nonprecious Fe-Ni bimetals composed of a hetero-core with/without an alloyed shell, (2) to evaluate the reactivity and selectivity of the catalysts for electrochemical NRR and OER in alkaline systems, and (3) to develop in operando methods to correlate the structure and composition with electrocatalytic activity using x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Beyond the targeted reactions, introduction of low-cost, nonprecious nanoparticle catalysts are of increasing interest for a broad range of catalytic applications, including electrocatalysis. Validation of the proposed novel nonprecious nanostructures, where specific spatial composition is correlated with the performance metrics and in operando characterization, will enable an approach to catalyst design that could be widely applied to enable cost- and performance-competitive catalysts for commercialization. Furthermore, controlling catalyst selectivity through structural design would enable key advances for important reactions related to water treatment, energy conversion, and agriculture. To support this objective, an integrated approach of research and education will be established to increase student participation in STEM research, to pursue STEM majors, and to train next-generation leaders in the interdisciplinary field of nanocatalysts. The investigators will actively recruit students, especially unrepresented student groups, to their research programs. The research findings will be integrated into teaching for undergraduate and graduate curriculum development in both Chemistry and Chemical Engineering departments. In addition, the investigators will strengthen the current summer programs by involving K-12 teachers through American Chemical Society Science Coaches and the University of Arkansas Engineering Academy Programs, as well as organizing an annual workshop for students and K-12 teachers on Nanocatalyst Discovery.

该项目解决了与水和氮的产生（NH3）相关的催化电化学过程，以及分开水以生产氢以存储能量，燃料和化学生产所需的氧气进化反应（OER）。这两个过程均提供依赖碳氢化合物资源的常规过程的替代方法。因此，该项目将支持NSF在粮食，能源和水（Infews）的可持续能源产生和创新领域的举措，后者是NH3作为基于氮肥的世界主要原料的重要性。特别是，该研究旨在发现可以在环境温度条件下运行的有针对性的电化学过程，而不是基于碳氢化合物的技术所需的高温条件。与传统的Haber-Bosch热催化过程相比，电催化氮还原反应（NRR）具有低于净能耗的NH3的潜力，该过程占世界能源消耗的1-2％。具体而言，该项目寻求NRR和OER催化电解器的进步。这项工作将专门集中于在碱性电化学环境中运行的非私致金属双金属催化剂，从而为贵金属提供了低成本，具有技术的替代品。该项目建立在初步数据的基础上，表明对异质化纳米颗粒的空间组成和形态的特定控制将实现增强的催化活性，并且还建立了对纳米粒子形式关键双金属系统组合活性关系的基本理解。具体的研究目标是：（1）综合和表征非纯粹的Fe-Ni双明词的新型杂音结构，由具有/不具有合金壳的异质核组成，（2）评估催化剂的反应性和选择性，以促进电化学NRR和OER的组成和（3）的组合（3），以及（3）。使用X射线吸收光谱学的电催化活性。除了靶向反应外，低成本，非副纳米颗粒催化剂的引入对广泛的催化应用（包括电催化）的兴趣越来越大。对拟议的新型非副结构的验证，该纳米结构与特定的空间组成与性能指标和操作表征相关，将实现一种催化剂设计的方法，该方法可以广泛应用于启用成本和性能竞争力的催化剂进行商业化。此外，通过结构设计控制催化剂的选择性将使与水处理，能量转化和农业有关的重要反应取得关键的进步。为了支持这一目标，将建立一种综合研究和教育方法，以增加学生参与STEM研究，追求STEM专业的学生，并在纳米催化剂的跨学科领域培训下一代领导者。调查人员将积极招募学生，特别是无人代表的学生群体的研究计划。研究结果将纳入化学和化学工程部门的本科和研究生课程的教学。此外，调查人员将通过美国化学学会科学教练和阿肯色大学工程学院课程涉及K-12教师，并为学生和K-12老师组织纳米催化剂发现的年度研讨会，从而加强当前的夏季计划。