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Thin films of iridium can be utilized in a wide range of applications and are particularly interesting for catalytic transformations. For the scalable deposition of functional Ir thin films, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is the method of choice, for which organometallic precursors that embody a high volatility and thermal stability need to be specifically tailored. Herein, we report the synthesis, analysis, and evaluation of new volatile Ir(I)-1,5-cyclooctadiene complexes bearing all-nitrogen coordinating guanidinate (DPDMG), amidinate (DPAMD) and formamidinate (DPfAMD) ligands. The amidinate-based Ir complex [Ir(COD)(DPAMD)] together with O2 was implemented in MOCVD experiments resulting in highly crystalline, dense, and conductive Ir films on a variety of substrate materials. The Ir deposits achieved an outstanding electrochemical performance with overpotentials in the range of 50 mV at –10 mA‧cm-2 for catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic solution. The ability to deposit Ir layers via MOCVD exhibiting promising functional properties is a significant step towards large scale applications.

Developing highly efficient and selective electrocatalysts for the CO2 reduction reaction to produce value-added chemicals has been intensively pursued. We report a series of Cux Oy Cz nanostructured electrocatalysts derived from a Cu-based MOF as porous self-sacrificial template. Blending catalysts with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) suppressed the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. 25 to 50 wt % teflonized GDEs exhibited a Faradaic efficiency of ≈54 % for C2+ products at -80 mA cm-2 . The local OH- ions activity of PTFE-modified GDEs was assessed by means of closely positioning a Pt-nanoelectrode. A substantial increase in the OH- /H2 O activity ratio due to the locally generated OH- ions at increasing current densities was determined irrespective of the PTFE amount.

Electroreduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products has attracted considerable attention as it provides an avenue to high-density renewable energy storage. However, the selectivity and stability under high current densities are rarely reported. Herein, B-doped Cu (B-Cu) and B-Cu-Zn gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) were developed for highly selective and stable CO2 conversion to C2+ products at industrially relevant current densities. The B-Cu GDE exhibited a high Faradaic efficiency of 79 % for C2+ products formation at a current density of -200 mA cm-2 and a potential of -0.45 V vs. RHE. The long-term stability for C2+ formation was substantially improved by incorporating an optimal amount of Zn. Operando Raman spectra confirm the retained Cu+ species under CO2 reduction conditions and the lower overpotential for *OCO formation upon incorporation of Zn, which lead to the excellent conversion of CO2 to C2+ products on B-Cu-Zn GDEs.

The unique structural and electronic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and in particular tungsten disulphide (WS2) make them interesting for a variety of applications such as the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for water splitting devices and chemiresistive gas sensors. The key parameter for the realisation of these devices is the controlled large-area growth of WS2 combined with tuning the surface morphology and electronic properties which is achieved by bottom-up fabrication methods such as chemical vapour deposition (CVD). In this study, 2H-WS2 films are fabricated by a new metal–organic CVD (MOCVD) process resulting in the growth of crystalline, pure, and stoichiometric films which was accomplished at temperatures as low as 600 °C as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)/nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology of WS2 layers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Following successful process development, the WS2 layers were deposited on conducting FTO/glass substrates and their catalytic activity for the HER was evaluated in a linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) experiment. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent sensor response towards NO2, CO, and NH3 was investigated for WS2 films deposited on special sensor chips, revealing a p-type response towards NO2 and NH3 and sensitivities of around 20% for NO2 and NH3 concentrations of 1.5 ppm and 7.6 ppm, respectively. These promising results demonstrate the effectiveness of scalable CVD-grown WS2 and pave the way for practical applications by modulating the properties of materials to achieve enhanced electrocatalytic and sensing performances employing WS2 layers.

Bimetallic tandem catalysts have emerged as a promising strategy to locally increase the CO flux during electrochemical CO2 reduction, so as to maximize the rate of conversion to C−C-coupled products. Considering this, a novel Cu/C−Ag nanostructured catalyst has been prepared by a redox replacement process, in which the ratio of the two metals can be tuned by the replacement time. An optimum Cu/Ag composition with similarly sized particles showed the highest CO2 conversion to C2+ products compared to non-Ag-modified gas-diffusion electrodes. Gas chromatography and in-situ Raman measurements in a CO2 gas diffusion cell suggest the formation of top-bound linear adsorbed *CO followed by consumption of CO in the successive cascade steps, as evidenced by the increasingνC−H bands. These findings suggest that two mechanisms operate simultaneously towards the production of HCO2H and C−C-coupled products on the Cu/Ag bimetallic surface.

The number of active sites and their intrinsic activity are key factors in designing high-performance catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The synthesis, properties, and in-depth characterization of a homogeneous CoNiFeCu catalyst are reported, demonstrating that multimetal synergistic effects improve the OER kinetics and the intrinsic activity. In situ carbon corrosion and Cu leaching during the OER lead to an enhanced electrochemically active surface area, providing favorable conditions for improved electronic interaction between the constituent metals. After activation, the catalyst exhibits excellent activity with a low overpotential of 291.5± 0.5mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 43.9 mV dec−1. It shows superior stability compared to RuO2 in 1 m KOH, which is even preserved for 120 h at 500 mA cm−2 in 7 m KOH at 50°C. Single particles of this CoNiFeCu after their placement on nanoelectrodes combined with identical location transmission electron microscopy before and after applying cyclic voltammetry are investigated. The improved catalytic performance is due to surface carbon corrosion and Cu leaching. The proposed catalyst design strategy combined with the unique single-nanoparticle technique contributes to the development and characterization of high-performance catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion.

Bimetallic tandem catalysts have emerged as a promising strategy to locally increase the CO flux during electrochemical CO

Electrocatalytically active materials on the industrial as well as on the laboratory scale may suffer from chemical instability during operation, air exposure, or storage in the electrolyte. A strategy to recover the loss of electrocatalytic activity is presented. Oxygen-depolarized cathodes (ODC), analogous to those that are utilized in industrial brine electrolysis, are analyzed: the catalytic activity of the electrodes upon storage (4 weeks) under industrial process conditions (30 wt % NaOH, without operation) diminishes. This phenomenon occurs as a consequence of surface oxidation and pore blockage, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam milling, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Potentiodynamic cycling of the oxidized electrodes to highly reductive potentials and the formation of "nascent" hydrogen re-reduces the electrode material, ultimately recovering the former catalytic activity.

Electroreduction of CO2 to multi‐carbon products has attracted considerable attention as it provides an avenue to high‐density renewable energy storage. However, the selectivity and stability under high current densities are rarely reported. Herein, B‐doped Cu (B‐Cu) and B‐Cu‐Zn gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) were developed for highly selective and stable CO2 conversion to C2+ products at industrially relevant current densities. The B‐Cu GDE exhibited a high Faradaic efficiency of 79 % for C2+ products formation at a current density of −200 mA cm−2 and a potential of −0.45 V vs. RHE. The long‐term stability for C2+ formation was substantially improved by incorporating an optimal amount of Zn. Operando Raman spectra confirm the retained Cu+ species under CO2 reduction conditions and the lower overpotential for *OCO formation upon incorporation of Zn, which lead to the excellent conversion of CO2 to C2+ products on B‐Cu‐Zn GDEs., A B‐Cu gas diffusion electrode (GDE) system was developed for highly selective CO2 conversion to C2+ products at high relevant current densities by mitigating the flooding problem and tuning the three‐phase boundary. Anodic protection by sacrificial Zn nanosheets remarkably improved the long‐term stability for CO2 electroreduction at high current densities.

Discerning the influence of electrochemical reactions on the electrode microenvironment is an unavoidable topic for electrochemical reactions that involve the production of OH− and the consumption of water. That is particularly true for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), which together with the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) exert changes in the local OH− and H2O activity that in turn can possibly affect activity, stability, and selectivity of the CO2RR. We determine the local OH− and H2O activity in close proximity to a CO2‐converting Ag‐based gas diffusion electrode (GDE) with product analysis using gas chromatography. A Pt nanosensor is positioned in the vicinity of the working GDE using shear‐force‐based scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) approach curves, which allows monitoring changes invoked by reactions proceeding within an otherwise inaccessible porous GDE by potentiodynamic measurements at the Pt‐tip nanosensor. We show that high turnover HER/CO2RR at a GDE lead to modulations of the alkalinity of the local electrolyte, that resemble a 16 m KOH solution, variations that are in turn linked to the reaction selectivity., Local affection: The abundance of gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) in modern electrochemistry has grown drastically, especially with the increasing interest in electrochemical reduction of CO2. Since several aspects of those electrodes and that reaction are not clarified yet, we herein couple assessment of the local reaction environment to the actual product distribution of the hydrogen evolution/CO2 reduction reaction system at Ag‐based GDEs.

The quantitative characterisation of electrocatalytic properties of nanoparticle catalyst materials is so far only performed for layers typically comprising additionally conducting additives and binders. We propose a method enabling the evaluation of intrinsic catalytic activity of nanoparticles based on the diffusion-limited steady-state current. In a step-after-step process, the influence of coverage on kinetic and diffusion limited current is evaluated to highlight the challenges of sub-monolayer electroanalysis. Conclusions are used to point out strategies and their limitations for qualitative and quantitative comparison of intrinsic catalytic properties. Particularly, the impact of coverage, electrode geometry, altered diffusion profile for nanoparticles and the catalyst activity and selectivity are discussed. Fundamental information about electrochemical sub-monolayer nanoparticle analysis is provided.

Nonlinear optical signals benefit greatly from the enhanced local optical fields in the vicinity of plasmonic nanostructures. Gold and silver nanovoid arrays of varying size and thickness, fabricated by electrochemical deposition are shown here to act as stable plasmonic nanostructures and to enhance the weak, incoherent two‐photon excited process of surface‐enhanced hyper Raman scattering (SEHRS) with high microscopic homogeneity and reproducibility that typical SEHRS experiments have not been addressing so far. Silver nanovoids yield stronger enhancement than gold voids, but gold nanovoid arrays show improved stability at high laser excitation intensities. Combined screening experiments using SEHRS and second‐harmonic generation (SHG) reveal a dependence of the enhancement of both signals on void structural parameters and similar optimum geometries for both two‐photon processes. The results confirm the suggested important role for the enhancement of the near‐infrared excitation field in SEHRS and suggest SHG as a fast screening tool to identify nanostructures that can support high SEHRS enhancement.

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Local ion activity changes in close proximity to the surface of an oxygen depolarized cathode (ODC) were measured by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). While the operating ODC produces OH- ions and consumes O2 and H2 O through the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), local changes in the activity of OH- ions and H2 O are detected by means of a positioned Pt microelectrode serving as an SECM tip. Sensing at the Pt tip is based on the pH-dependent reduction of PtO and obviates the need for prior electrode modification steps. It can be used to evaluate the coordination numbers of OH- ions and H2 O, and the method was exploited as a novel approach of catalyst activity assessment. We show that the electrochemical reaction on highly active catalysts can have a drastic influence on the reaction environment.

International audience

Silver nanoclusters are deposited on bifunctional Θ-shaped nanoelectrodes consisting of a carbon nanoelectrode combined with a hollow nanopipette. The Θ-nanoelectrodes are used as model systems to study interfacial mass transport in gas diffusion electrodes and in particular oxygen-depolarized cathodes (ODC) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in chlor-alkali electrolysers. By local delivery of O2 gas to the electroactive Ag nanoclusters through the adjacent nanopipette, enhanced currents for the ORR at the Ag nanoparticles are recorded which are not accountable when considering the low solubility and slow diffusion of O2 in highly alkaline media. Instead, local oversaturation of O2 leads to current enhancement at the Ag nanoclusters. Due to the intrinsic high mass transport rates at the nanometric electrodes accompanied by local delivery of reactants, the method generally allows to study electrochemical reactions at single nanoparticles beyond the limitations induced by slow diffusion and low reactant concentration. Kinetic and mechanistic information, for instance derived from Tafel slopes, can be obtained from kinetic regimes not accessible to standard techniques.