Mechanically Induced Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution from Water over Piezoelectric SnSe nanosheets. Issue 29 (26th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Shun; Zhao, Zhicheng; Li, Jiabin; Liu, Hong; Liu, Maosong; Zhang, Yuqiao; Su, Lizhong; Pérez‐Jiménez, Ana Isabel; Guo, Yunchang; Yang, Fan; Liu, Yong; Zhao, Jinzhu; Zhang, Jianming; Zhao, Li‐Dong; Lin, Yuanhua
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 18:Issue 29(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-06-26
• Subjects: 2D piezoelectrics -- hydrogen evolution -- piezocatalysis -- SnSe -- ultrasonic vibration; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract: Piezoelectric nanomaterials open new avenues in driving green catalysis processes (e.g., H2 evolution from water) through harvesting mechanical energy, but their catalytic efficiency is still limited. The predicted enormous piezoelectricity for 2D SnSe, together with its high charge mobility and excellent flexibility, renders it an ideal candidate for stimulating piezocatalysis redox reactions. In this work, few‐layer piezoelectric SnSe nanosheets (NSs) are utilized for mechanically induced H2 evolution from water. The finite elemental method simulation demonstrates an unprecedent maximal piezoelectric potential of 44.1 V for a single SnSe NS under a pressure of 100 MPa. A record‐breaking piezocurrent density of 0.3 mA cm −2 is obtained for SnSe NSs‐based electrode under ultrasonic excitation (100 W, 45 kHz), which is about three orders of magnitude greater than that of reported piezocatalysts. Moreover, an exceptional H2 production rate of 948.4 µmol g −1 h −1 is achieved over the SnSe NSs without any cocatalyst, far exceeding most of the reported piezocatalysts and competitive with the current photocatalysis technology. The findings not only enrich the potential piezocatalysis materials, but also provide useful guidance toward high‐efficiency mechanically driven chemical reactions such as H2 evolution from water. Abstract : SnSe nanosheets are used for mechanically driven H2 evolution through water splitting. Benefiting from the highest predicted piezoelectric coefficients among all 2D materials, excellent flexibility, and superior charge mobility, the SnSe nanosheets demonstrate exceptional piezocurrent density (0.3 mA cm −2 ) and H2 evolution activity (948.4 µmol g −1 h −1 ) without cocatalyst under ultrasonic vibration (100 W, 45 kHz).