U and Co Dual Single-Atom Doped MXene for Accelerating Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Activity.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Nuclear Chemistry

Background:

• Accumulation of radioactive waste from nuclear fuel preparation poses environmental pollution and resource abandonment issues.
• Efficient utilization of depleted uranium resources is crucial for nuclear energy development.
• MXene materials offer unique properties for catalyst development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a uranium-cobalt dual-doped MXene catalyst for comprehensive utilization of depleted uranium resources.
• To investigate the catalytic performance and stability of the U-Co/MXene catalyst.
• To understand the mechanism behind the enhanced catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of U-Co/MXene catalyst via adsorption and anchoring of U and Co onto MXene.
• Electrocatalytic performance testing (overpotential, stability).
• Theoretical calculations (Density Functional Theory) to analyze electronic structure and reaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The U-Co/MXene catalyst exhibited an excellent overpotential of 184 mV at -10 mA cm⁻².
• Exceptional stability was observed for the catalyst, lasting up to 150 hours.
• Theoretical calculations revealed an optimized electronic structure due to the U-O-Co network, enhancing H* adsorption.

Conclusions:

• The developed U-Co/MXene catalyst effectively utilizes depleted uranium resources.
• This work presents a new pathway for actinide catalyst development and resource recovery.
• The findings contribute to advancing sustainable nuclear energy technologies.