Study of Transition Metal Based Nanomaterials and Their Electrocatalytic Applications

Abstract

With the tremendous population growth and globalization, as well as the corresponding rise in global energy supply and consumption, the discovery of methodologies for devising sustainable power conversion systems remains a major global concern. In particular, the generation of hydrogen and methanol through water electrolysis (OER/HER) and water CO2 co-electrolysis (OER/CO2RR), respectively are supposed to be the emergent energy carrier. These electrochemical reactions are key chemical conversion courses that bring on renewable energy transformations. The present thesis aims to focus on the systematic design of Earth-abundant transition metal-based nanomaterials (nanoporous-NiCo2O4, 2D- metal oxides nanosheets such as Co3O4 nanosheets, NiO nanosheets, CuO nanosheets, and Fe3O4 nanosheets, and rice grain-like FeS, and CuSe nanocubes), and their electrocatalytic activities towards the electrochemical energy conversion reactions such as OER, HER, and CO2RR. newlineThe present thesis primarily involves facile fabrication of highly efficient, low cost, and advanced transition metal-based nanostructures for energy conversion reactions. The preparation strategies, structural and composition monitoring, fabrication of electrodes, catalytic effect, relationships between the intrinsic catalytic activity and synthesis methods/precursors, and the understanding of the reaction mechanism and exploration are majorly concentrated. The as-developed nanostructured transition metal-based catalysts in this study exhibited good catalytic activity in terms of low onset potential, high current densities, low overpotential, high mass activities, and long-term stability newline