Transition Metal Nanomaterials Based Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion Reactions

Abstract

Electrochemical water splitting has become increasingly important in energy-related technologies. Especially, efficient storage of the electrical energy harvested from the sunlight and from wind in chemical bonds is a crucial for a future renewable energy economy. Among the varieties of energy technologies, electrochemical water splitting is almost the predominant method owing to its low cost, zero-carbon emission, high efficiency, and high-purity product. Thus, it is crucial requirement to develop a low-cost, highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for water splitting applications. The design of Earth-abundant and non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for promoting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of excessive importance for the production of sustainable chemical fuel and improved storage systems. The present thesis aims to focus on the systematic design of self-standing transition metal nanomaterials, such as transition-metal sulphides nanostructures (iron sulphide (FeS), cobalt sulphide (CoS), nickel sulphide (NiS), and copper sulphide (CuS)), heterostructured iron-cobalt sulphide (FeCoS) nanoclusters entrenched in 3D- nanosheets (3D-FeCoS NS), bimetallic iron-cobalt oxide nanoclusters embedded on 3D- flower-like iron-cobalt oxide nanosheets (FeCoO NCat3D-FeCoO NS), and hierarchical bimetallic iron cobalt phosphides nano-island electrodes (NIs-FeCoP-B NS) for improved OER under alkaline electrolyte newline