Cucurbit[n]uril-Derived Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution, Oxygen Reduction, and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Fossil fuel dependence necessitates sustainable energy solutions like water electrolyzers, fuel cells, and metal-air batteries.
• Development of efficient electrocatalysts is crucial for accelerating sluggish kinetics in oxygen evolution (OER), oxygen reduction (ORR), and hydrogen evolution (HER) reactions.
• Cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]) offer a versatile platform for designing high-performance electrocatalysts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in CB[n]-derived electrocatalysts for OER, ORR, and HER.
• To discuss the synthesis, structure, and chemistry of CB[n]s.
• To explore future opportunities for CB[n]-based electrocatalysts in energy conversion.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on CB[n]-directed electrocatalyst development.
• Analysis of molecular complexes, heterogeneous nanostructures, and single-atom catalysts.
• Correlation of structure-activity relationships using characterization, electrochemical experiments, and theory simulations.

Main Results:

• CB[n]-directed strategies have yielded high-performance electrocatalysts for OER, ORR, and HER.
• Diverse CB[n]-derived materials, including molecular complexes, nanostructures, and single atoms, show promising catalytic activities.
• Structure-activity relationships are established through integrated experimental and theoretical approaches.

Conclusions:

• CB[n]-derived electrocatalysts represent a significant advancement in sustainable energy conversion.
• Further research into CB[n] chemistry can unlock new applications in electrocatalysis.
• The CB[n] platform holds potential for developing next-generation energy devices.