In one aspect, the disclosure relates to catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, in particular catalysts useful for oxygen evolution at an anode in electrochemical water splitting. The disclosed catalysts compositions comprise a catalyst core component, a shell component, and optionally a catalyst outer component; wherein the catalyst core component comprises a composition having the chemical formula M.sub.xP.sub.y; where M is a transition metal; wherein x is a number from about 1 to about 20; wherein y is a number from about 1 to about 20; wherein the shell component comprises a conducting polymer; and wherein the catalyst outer component is a transition metal that is not the same as the transition metal M. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A copper-palladium-loaded mesoporous silicon carbide-based catalyst, a preparation method, and an application thereof are provided. First, a mesoporous silicon carbide material is prepared by using mesoporous silica as a hard template; subsequently, the mesoporous silicon carbide material is mixed with a copper-palladium precursor mixed solution, and dried after the solvent is completely volatilized. The dried powder is successively subjected to calcination with N.sub.2 and reduction with H.sub.2 to finally obtain the copper-palladium-loaded mesoporous silicon carbide-based catalyst. The catalyst is made into an electrode, and the nitrate in water body is catalytically reduced by electrochemical method. The preparation method of the catalyst of the present invention is simple. The catalyst can realize high-efficiency catalytic denitrification at a low metal loading amount, with high selectivity of nitrogen. Moreover, the catalyst has the advantages of high activity, good stability, wide application range and low cost.

A copper-palladium-loaded mesoporous silicon carbide-based catalyst, a preparation method, and an application thereof are provided. First, a mesoporous silicon carbide material is prepared by using mesoporous silica as a hard template; subsequently, the mesoporous silicon carbide material is mixed with a copper-palladium precursor mixed solution, and dried after the solvent is completely volatilized. The dried powder is successively subjected to calcination with N.sub.2 and reduction with H.sub.2 to finally obtain the copper-palladium-loaded mesoporous silicon carbide-based catalyst. The catalyst is made into an electrode, and the nitrate in water body is catalytically reduced by electrochemical method. The preparation method of the catalyst of the present invention is simple. The catalyst can realize high-efficiency catalytic denitrification at a low metal loading amount, with high selectivity of nitrogen. Moreover, the catalyst has the advantages of high activity, good stability, wide application range and low cost.

An anode catalyst suitable for use in an electrolyzer. The anode catalyst includes a support and a plurality of catalyst particles disposed on the support. The support may include a plurality of metal oxide or doped metal oxide particles. The catalyst particles, which may be iridium, iridium oxide, ruthenium, ruthenium oxide, platinum, and/or platinum black particles, may be arranged to form one or more aggregations of catalyst particles on the support. Each of the aggregations of catalyst particles may include at least 10 particles, wherein each of the at least 10 particles is in physical contact with at least one other particle. The support particles and their associated catalyst particles may be dispersed in a binder.

An anode catalyst suitable for use in an electrolyzer. The anode catalyst includes a support and a plurality of catalyst particles disposed on the support. The support may include a plurality of metal oxide or doped metal oxide particles. The catalyst particles, which may be iridium, iridium oxide, ruthenium, ruthenium oxide, platinum, and/or platinum black particles, may be arranged to form one or more aggregations of catalyst particles on the support. Each of the aggregations of catalyst particles may include at least 10 particles, wherein each of the at least 10 particles is in physical contact with at least one other particle. The support particles and their associated catalyst particles may be dispersed in a binder.

A process for the preparation of a membrane electrode assembly comprising providing, in the following layer order, (I) a green supporting electrode layer comprising a composite of a mixed metal oxide and Ni oxide; (IV) a green mixed metal oxide membrane layer; and (V) a green second electrode layer comprising a composite of a mixed metal oxide and Ni oxide; and sintering all three layers simultaneously.

The present invention is to provide a photocatalyst electrode less likely to suffer from peeling of hematite-based crystal particles from a substrate and having higher catalytic activity than ever before. A method for producing a photocatalyst electrode includes: an in-process particle of heating a raw material solution to form in-process particles, the raw material solution including a raw material solvent and a hematite raw material dispersed therein, the in-process particle forming step including heating the raw material solution in a closed vessel for more than 12 hours; and a burning step of burning the in-process particles. In this way, a photocatalyst electrode with high catalytic activity can be produced.

The invention provides a cathode for the nitrogen reduction reaction, comprising an electrically conductive substrate and an electrocatalytic composition on the substrate, wherein the electrocatalytic composition comprises: a support material present in one or more crystalline phases; and metallic clusters dispersed on the support material, the metallic clusters comprising at least one metal selected from ruthenium, iron, rhodium, iridium and molybdenum, wherein at least 80 mass % of the support material is present in a semiconductive crystalline phase having a conduction band minimum energy below (more positive than) −0.3 V relative to the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE).

Electrocatalytic materials and methods of making the electrocatalytic materials are provided. Such a method may comprise forming precursor nanosheets comprising a precursor metal on a surface of a substrate; exposing the precursor nanosheets to a modifier solution comprising a polar, aprotic solvent and a metal salt at a temperature and for a period of time, the metal salt comprising a metal cation and an anion, thereby forming modified precursor nanosheets; and calcining the modified precursor nanosheets for a period of time to form an electrocatalytic material comprising structurally modified nanosheets and the substrate, each nanosheet extending from the surface of the substrate and having a solid matrix. The solid matrix defines pores distributed throughout the solid matrix and comprises a precursor metal oxide and domains of another metal oxide distributed throughout the precursor metal oxide; or the solid matrix comprises the precursor metal oxide and nanoparticles of the another metal oxide distributed on a surface of the solid matrix.

The present disclosure relates to an energy transferring type photoelectrode including a substrate; a photoactive layer formed on the substrate; and a catalyst layer formed on the photoactive layer, in which an emission spectrum region of the photoactive layer and an absorption spectrum region of the catalyst layer overlap.