Yuxia Xu

Ultrathin two-dimensional cobalt–organic framework nanosheets for high-performance electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Ultrathin two-dimensional cobalt–organic framework (Co–MOF) nanosheets [Co2(OH)2BDC, BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate] with good catalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction were synthesized by a simple surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method. The resulting material shows a low overpotential of 263 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 74 mV dec−1 in 1.0 M KOH. The morphology and properties of the material before and after electrocatalysis did not change significantly over a long period of time and it maintained electrochemical stability for 12 000 s. The unsaturated CoII active center on the surface of the ultrathin two-dimensional cobalt–organic framework nanosheets enhances their oxygen evolution reaction performance. These results are significantly superior to most of the previously reported transition metal–organic framework or metal oxide electrocatalysts. We believe that the ultrathin two-dimensional metal–organic framework nanosheets synthesized by this simple process will be widely used in future energy conversion devices.

MOF‐Derived Metal Oxide Composites for Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage

Over the past two decades, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a type of porous material, have aroused great interest as precursors or templates for the derivation of metal oxides and composites for the next generation of electrochemical energy storage applications owing to their high specific surface areas, controllable structures, and adjustable pore sizes. The electrode materials, which affect the performance in practical applications, are pivotal components of batteries and supercapacitors. Metal oxide composites derived from metal-organic frameworks possessing high reversible capacity and superior rate and cycle performance are excellent electrode materials. In this Review, potential applications for MOF-derived metal oxide composites for lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-oxygen batteries, and supercapacitors are studied and summarized. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for future research on MOF-derived metal oxide composites are proposed on the basis of academic knowledge from the reported literature as well as from experimental experience.

π-Conjugated Molecule Boosts Metal-Organic Frameworks as Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalysts

To improve the efficiency of water electrolysis, developing efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysis is extremely important due to its four-electron transfer dynamics. In this work, a π-conjugated molecule (2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene, HHTP), which can accelerate the electron transfer, is coated directly on pristine ZIF-67, resulting in a composite named HHTP@ZIF-67, via a simple one-step solvothermal method. The obtained HHTP@ZIF-67 possesses a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 2013.9 m2 g-1 and displays microporous behavior, which can provide enough active sites for OER. The double-layer capacitance of HHTP@ZIF-67 is also enhanced, corresponding to an enlarged electrochemical active surface area. HHTP@ZIF-67 presents a quite low overpotential of 238 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1.0 m KOH. This material synthesized via the simple coating strategy is promising in the application of energy conversion devices.

The Research Development of Quantum Dots in Electrochemical Energy Storage

Quantum dots, which are made from semiconductor materials, possess tunable physical dimensions and outstanding optoelectronic characteristics, and they have aroused widespread interest in recent years. In addition to applications in biomolecular analysis, sensors, organic photovoltaic devices, fluorescence, solar cells, photochemical reagents, light-emitting diodes, and catalysis, quantum dots have attracted mounting attention in the field of electrochemical energy storage owing to their size confinement and anisotropic geometry. In this review, a comprehensive summary is given and the research progress of the study of quantum dots for batteries and electrochemical capacitors in recent years, including their synthesis methods, micro/nanostructural features, and electrochemical performance, is appraised.