Emerging Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters and Ultrasmall Nanoparticles for Efficient Electrochemical Energy Catalysis: Synthesis Strategies and Surface/Interface Engineering

Mingjie Wu; Fang Dong; Yingkui Yang; Xun Cui; Xueqin Liu; Yunhai Zhu; Dongsheng Li; Sasha Omanovic; Shuhui Sun; Gaixia Zhang

doi:10.1007/s41918-024-00217-w

Electrochemical Energy Reviews ›› 2024, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (1) DOI: 10.1007/s41918-024-00217-w

Review Article

Emerging Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters and Ultrasmall Nanoparticles for Efficient Electrochemical Energy Catalysis: Synthesis Strategies and Surface/Interface Engineering

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¹State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, Wuhan Textile University, 430200, Wuhan, Hubei, China

²Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, H3A 0C5, Montreal, QC, Canada

³Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Energie Materiaux Telecommunications, J3X 1P7, Varennes, QC, Canada

⁴ Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Three Gorges University, 443002, Yichang, Jiangxi, China

⁵Department of Electrical Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), H3C 1K3, Montreal, QC, Canada

^h sasha.omanovic@mcgill.ca

^j shuhui.sun@inrs.ca

^k gaixia.zhang@etsmtl.ca

Mingjie Wu

is a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University, Canada, and a Professor at the State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, Wuhan Textile University, China. He received his Ph.D degree from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Center for Energy, Materials, and Telecommunications, Canada (under the supervision of Prof. Shuhui Sun). His current research interests focus on ORR, OER, CO₂RR, and HER electrocatalysts for rechargeable metal-air batteries, metal-CO₂ batteries, PEM fuel cells, and water splitting.

Sasha Omanovic

is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at McGill University. He obtained the "dipl.ing.” (Chemical Engineering) and “Dr.Sc.” (Chemistry) degrees at the University of Zagreb (Croatia), followed by a two-year post-doctoral position at Acadia University in Nova Scotia (Canada), where he studied the interaction of proteins with charged electrode surfaces. He joined McGill University in 2001, where he established the “Electrochemistry/Corrosion Laboratory”. His research focuses on the development of electrodes for applications in the areas of wastewater treatment, energy conversion/storage, and on the investigation of corrosion processes and development of methods for corrosion protection, and functionalization of electrically-conducting surfaces for specific applications.

Shuhui Sun

is a Full Professor at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), center for Energy, Materials, and Telecommunications, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and a Member of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC College). His current research interests focus on multifunctional nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage applications, including H₂ fuel cells, metal-ion (Li⁺, Na⁺, Zn²⁺) batteries, lithium-metal batteries, metal-air batteries, solid-state batteries, etc. He is also interested in nanostructured photo- and electro-catalysts for H₂ production, CO₂ reduction, and water treatment.

Gaixia Zhang

is a Marcelle-Gauvreau Engineering Research Chair Professor at École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), University of Quebec, Montréal, Canada. She received her Ph.D. degree from Polytechnique Montréal, and then continued her research at Western University and INRS, Canada. Her research interests focus on advanced materials (catalysts, electrodes and electrolytes) for sustainable energy conversion and storage applications, including batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen production, and CO₂ reduction. She is also interested in interface and device engineering, as well as in-situ characterizations and theoretical simulations.

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Abstract

Atomically precise metal nanocluster and ultrasmall nanoparticle catalysts have garnered significant interest in electrocatalysis applications due to their unique geometric and electronic structures. As an intermediate state between single-atom catalysts (SACs) and nanoparticles in size, nanoclusters with specific low nuclearity provide designated metallic states with multiple atoms or surface sites for the adsorption and transformation of reactants/intermediates. The unique catalytic properties of nanoclusters offer a novel platform for designing effective and efficient electrocatalysts, potentially surpassing the SACs in certain catalytic reactions. This review summarizes and discusses the latest progress of nanoclusters and ultrasmall nanoparticles for various electrocatalysis applications, including oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), various chemicals oxidation reaction (COR), etc. Specifically, this review highlights surface/interface chemical modification strategies and structure-properties relationships, drawing from the atomic-level insights to determine electrocatalytic performance. Lastly, we present the challenges and opportunities associated with nanocluster or ultrasmall nanoparticle electrocatalysts.

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Mingjie Wu, Fang Dong, Yingkui Yang, Xun Cui, Xueqin Liu, Yunhai Zhu, Dongsheng Li, Sasha Omanovic, Shuhui Sun, Gaixia Zhang. Emerging Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters and Ultrasmall Nanoparticles for Efficient Electrochemical Energy Catalysis: Synthesis Strategies and Surface/Interface Engineering. Electrochemical Energy Reviews, 2024, 7(1): DOI:10.1007/s41918-024-00217-w