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Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Double Active Sites in Co-N-C@Co Electrocatalysts for Simultaneous Production of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide
Meichun Qin1, Shiying Fan1, Xinyong Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
Abstract:
The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by electrocatalytic water splitting is a prospective and economical route. However, the approach is severely hindered by the sluggish anodic OER, poor reactivity of electrocatalysts, and low-value-added byproducts at the anode. Herein, formaldehyde was added as an anode sacrificial agent, and a bifunctional Co-N-C@Co catalyst containing abundant Co-N4 sites and Co nanoparticles was successfully fabricated and evaluated as both a cathodic and an anodic material for the HER and formaldehyde selective oxidation reaction (FSOR), respectively. Co-N-C@Co displayed a remarkable electrocatalytic performance simultaneously for both HER and FSOR with high hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) selectivity. Density functional theory calculations combined with experiments identified that Co-N4 and Co nanoparticles were dominating active sites for CO and H2 generation, respectively. The coupling tactic of FSOR at the anode not only expedites the reaction rate of HER but also offers a high-efficiency and energy-saving means for the generation of valuable H2/CO syngas.
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