A facile method for the synthesis of metal nanostructure-decorated two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanosheets was developed. The solution-processable molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) nanosheet was used as a template for direct liquid-phase growth of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) under ambient conditions. Results show that the Pt NPs with sizes of 1-3 nm were uniformly grown on the MoO3 surface. ...

IrO2 is one of the most active catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and remains the only known stable OER catalyst in acidic conditions. As a first step in understanding the mechanism for OER we carried out detailed Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies of the electronic structure of IrO2. We compared the electronic states and magnetic properties of IrO2 using several density fun...

Electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation reactions (HORs) are the key to renewable-energy technologies including fuel cells, hydrogen pumps, and water splitting. Despite the significant technological interest and tremendous efforts that have been made, development of hydrogen electrode catalysts with high activity at low cost remains a great challenge. Here, we report the preparation, characteri...

Novel reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheet/PtPd nanowire hybrids were prepared by a mild wet chemical approach. Uniform Pt nanowire arrays are successfully supported on functionalized RGO nanosheets with Pd nanoparticles as growing seeds. The whole deposition process was achieved in aqueous solution at room temperature. TEM and HRTEM analysis indicated the single-crystal feature of the Pt nan...

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based materials have been recently identified as promising electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, little work has been done to improve the catalytic performance of MoS2 toward HER in alkaline electrolytes, which is more suitable for water splitting in large-scale applications. Here, it is reported that the hybridization of 0D nickel hydr(oxy...

As catalysis and organic synthesis come together again, the need for stable, selective and truly heterogeneous solid catalysts for clean and efficient synthetic organic chemistry has increased. Hybrid silica glasses obtained by the sol-gel nanochemistry approach can be successfully used for the waste-free synthesis of valued chemicals in various applications. This success derives from the delib...

Artificial photosynthetic systems can store solar energy and chemically reduce CO2 We developed a hybrid water splitting-biosynthetic system based on a biocompatible Earth-abundant inorganic catalyst system to split water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen (H2 and O2) at low driving voltages. When grown in contact with these catalysts, Ralstonia eutropha consumed the produced H2 to synthesize b...

While Lewis acids andmetal amides are among themost frequently usedmetal species, they are believed to be incompatible when combined. Here we describe a Lewis acid/metal amide hybrid, which contains electron-withdrawing groups and basic and bulky nitrogen functional groups in the same metal complex, as a novel catalyst. We have synthesized In(N(SiMe3)2)2Cl (In(HMDS)2Cl) and In(HMDS)2OTf as Lewi...

This account provides an overview of current research activities that focus on the synthesis and applications of nanomaterials from noble metal (e.g., Au, Ag, Pd) and iron oxide (Fe3O4) hybrids. An introduction to the synthetic strategies that have been developed for generating M-Fe3O4 nanomaterials with different novel structures is presented. Surface functionalization and bioconjugation of th...

Photocatalytic degradation of toxic organic compound in water, soil and air by semiconductor catalysts such as TiO2 and ZnO have received much attention over the last two decades. However, the low quantum yield, easy agglomeration and difficult post-separation of these inorganic catalysts limit their application for large-scale applications. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are the latest class ...