Dong Young Chung

Demand on the practical synthetic approach to the high performance electrocatalyst is rapidly increasing for fuel cell commercialization. Here we present a synthesis of highly durable and active intermetallic ordered face-centered tetragonal (fct)-PtFe nanoparticles (NPs) coated with a "dual purpose" N-doped carbon shell. Ordered fct-PtFe NPs with the size of only a few nanometers are obtained by thermal annealing of polydopamine-coated PtFe NPs, and the N-doped carbon shell that is in situ form

A highly active and stable non-Pt electrocatalyst for hydrogen production has been pursued for a long time as an inexpensive alternative to Pt-based catalysts. Herein, we report a simple and effective approach to prepare high-performance iron phosphide (FeP) nanoparticle electrocatalysts using iron oxide nanoparticles as a precursor. A single-step heating procedure of polydopamine-coated iron oxide nanoparticles leads to both carbonization of polydopamine coating to the carbon shell and phosphid

Methanol is a promising fuel for direct methanol fuel cells in portable devices. A deeper understanding of its electro-oxidation is needed for evaluating electrocatalytic performance and catalyst design. Here we provide an in-depth investigation of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) of methanol electro-oxidation. The oxidation peak in backward scan is shown to be unrelated to residual intermediate oxidation. The origin of the second oxidation peak (If2) is expected to the methanol oxidation on Pt–Ox. E

Fuel cells are one of the promising energy-conversion devices due to their high efficiency and zero emission. Although recent advances in electrocatalysts have been achieved using various material designs such as alloys, core@shell structures, and shape control, many issues still remain to be resolved. Especially, material design issues for high durability and high activity are recently accentuated owing to severe instability of nanoparticles under fuel-cell operating conditions. To address thes

Electrocatalysis is a key process for renewable energy conversion and fuel production in future energy systems. Various nanostructures have been investigated to optimize the electrocatalytic activity and realize efficient energy use. However, the long-term stability of electrocatalysts is also crucial for the sustainable and reliable operation of energy devices. Nanocatalysts are degraded by various processes during electrocatalysis, which causes critical performance loss. Recent <i>operando</i>

Noble metal-based multimetallic nanoparticles (NMMNs) have attracted great attention for their multifunctional and synergistic effects, which offer numerous catalytic applications. Combined experimental and theoretical studies have enabled formulation of various design principles for tuning the electrocatalytic performance through controlling size, composition, morphology, and crystal structure of the nanoparticles. Despite significant advancements in the field, the chemical synthesis of NMMNs w

Heteroatom‐doped porous carbon materials have attracted much attention because of their extensive application in energy conversion and storage devices. Because the performance of fuel cells and the rate capability of supercapacitors depend significantly on multiple factors, such as electrical conductivity and transport rate of ions and reactants, designing these carbon‐based materials to optimize performance factors is vital. In order to address these issues, alveoli that possess a hollow cavity

We propose a method to enhance the fuel cell efficiency with the simultaneous removal of toxic heavy metal ions. Carbon monoxide (CO), an intermediate of methanol oxidation that is primarily responsible for Pt catalyst deactivation, can be used as an in-situ reducing agent for hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) with reactivating the CO-poisoned Pt catalyst. Using electro-oxidation measurements, the oxidation of adsorbed CO molecules coupled with the concurrent conversion of Cr (VI) to Cr (III) was co

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon materials have been highlighted as promising alternatives to high-cost platinum in various electrochemical energy applications. However, protocols to generate effective pore structure are still challenging, which hampers mass production and utilization of carbon materials. Here, we suggest a facile and effective method for hierarchical porous carbon by a single-step carbonization of coffee waste (CW) with ZnCl₂. The CW, which is one of the most earth-abund

While many factors can influence the activity of the electrochemical interface at atomic and molecular levels, the electron and ion transport have a big impact on the overall electrochemical performance. Here, we investigate how electrical resistance (conductivity) of the electrode affects the measured electrocatalytic activity using the hydrogen evolution reaction as a model reaction. We clearly demonstrate the effect of the poor electronic conductivity of MoS2 on the electrochemical performanc

The Fe–N–C-based carbon materials, which are generally formed by high-temperature annealing, have been highlighted as a promising alternative to expensive Pt electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. However, the delicate formation of active sites remains an issue because of decomposition and transformation of the macrocycle during heat treatment. Accordingly, we developed a low-temperature and gram-scale approach to synthesizing iron phthalocyanine (Pc)-embedded two-dimensional carbon she

Hydrogen has been chosen as an environmentally benign energy source to replace fossil-fuel-based energy systems. Since hydrogen is difficult to store and transport in its gaseous phase, thermochemical liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) have been developed as one of the alternative technologies. However, the high temperature and pressure requirements of thermochemical LOHC systems result in huge energy waste and impracticality. This Perspective proposes electrochemical (EC)-LOHCs capable of

The design of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts demands a delicate balance between activity and stability. In this study, we present a rational design approach that leverages catalyst-support interactions to enhance both the intrinsic activity and durability of Ir-based catalysts. Our study reveals that while Mo doping energetically promotes the formation of high-valent Ir species, enhancing intrinsic catalytic activity, it also leads to a reduction in electrical conductivity. The