Magnetron sputtering enabled sustainable synthesis of nanomaterials for energy electrocatalysis

Abstract

Next-generation energy technologies have captured increasing research interest because of their fascinating advantages, yet the implementation of such technologies requires efficient and robust electrocatalysts to overcome the sluggish heart reaction kinetics. Sputtered nanostructures, prepared by facile, low-cost and green sputtering techniques, exhibit superior electrochemical performances owing to their rich structural motifs and morphological features, demonstrating great potential for boosting the reaction kinetics. Herein, after a brief discussion of the magnetron sputtering technique’s basic principles, attention is paid to the discussion of applications of sputtered nanostructures in various types of clean energy conversion reactions, covering the architecture/compositional design, controllable synthesis, reaction mechanism, and the electrochemical performances. Moreover, critical insights into active-site densities, synergistic modulation, surface reconstruction and heterostructures design are reviewed. Finally, we conclude by outlooking how these discussions and understandings open sputtered nanostructures (as electrode materials) opportunities to facilitate the development of next-generation energy technologies.