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Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries
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Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 5223

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Feifei Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Interests: Zn-ion batteries, Zn–halogen batteries, OER, HER
Dr. Jinxing Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Interests: nanozymes; electrocatalytic CO2RR; single-atom catalysts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the surge in global energy consumption, the imperative for clean energy solutions has become increasingly urgent. Advanced energy storage technologies have emerged as pivotal tools for enabling large-scale energy storage, offering a pathway towards sustainable energy practices. In recent years, wide attention has gravitated towards batteries featuring halogen, chalcogen, air, and so on, as positive electrodes. These batteries exhibit rapid reaction kinetics and prolonged lifespan, positioning them as promising contenders for large-scale energy storage applications, thereby prompting investment in this field. Moreover, addressing challenges associated with cathode materials undergoing redox reactions necessitates the development of innovative catalysts. Enhancing battery capacity and cycle stability through catalyst design is deemed crucial in this regard.

To foster advancements in this critical area, this Special Issue entitled “Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries” has been introduced. This initiative invites researchers to contribute reviews or research papers that focus on catalyst design or catalysis mechanisms within batteries, aiming to expedite progress towards efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions.

Dr. Feifei Wang
Dr. Jinxing Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chalcogen electrochemistry
  • halogen electrochemistry
  • electrocatalysts for batteries
  • fuel cell
  • water splitting
  • ORR
  • high energy density
  • metal–halogen (Cl, Br, I) batteries
  • metal–chalcogen (S/Se/Te) batteries
  • metal–O2 batteries
  • metal–CO2 batteries
  • metal–nitrate batteries
  • metal–N2 batteries

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1482 KiB  
Article
Design and Optimization of Chromium-Based Polymeric Catalysts for Selective Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide
by Huiying Meng, Wen Luo, Yang Wu and Yifan Zhang
Catalysts 2025, 15(6), 513; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15060513 - 23 May 2025
Viewed by 249
Abstract
In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of chromium-based polymers (Cr-Ps) and their composites using oxidized carbon nanotubes (O-CNTs) through one-pot ligand engineering. The H2O2 production capacity of Cr-Ps increased with an increasing ratio of C–O and Cr–O [...] Read more.
In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of chromium-based polymers (Cr-Ps) and their composites using oxidized carbon nanotubes (O-CNTs) through one-pot ligand engineering. The H2O2 production capacity of Cr-Ps increased with an increasing ratio of C–O and Cr–O bonds, which is consistent with the trend observed in the Cr-Ps@O-CNT. The addition of O-CNTs during Cr-Ps synthesis led to a dense structure, which enhanced the electron donor effect and effectively improved the selectivity of the materials for the electrocatalytic production of H2O2. Furthermore, during the modulation of different ligands, we observed that the polymers and their complexes formed with terephthalic acid ligands containing para-carboxyl groups had the highest coordination activity and selectivity. The Cr-BDC@O-CNT, using terephthalic acid as the ligand, had the highest C–O and Cr–O densities, resulting in an H2O2 yield of 87% in an alkaline solution and an electron transfer number of about 2.2. Compared with Cr-BDC without O-CNTs, its selectivity increased by 32%, due to the higher number of C–O and Cr–O bonds in its dense structure. Moreover, the mass activity of the Cr-BDC@O-CNT reached 19.42 A g−1 at 0.2 V and the Faraday efficiency reached up to 94%, demonstrating excellent electroreduction activity. Our work provides insight into the design of efficient H2O2 electrocatalysts through ligand engineering, opening up new ideas for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries)
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15 pages, 2053 KiB  
Article
Kinetic Understanding of the Enhanced Electroreduction of Nitrate to Ammonia for Co3O4–Modified Cu2+1O Nanowire Electrocatalyst
by Hao Yu, Shen Yan, Jiahua Zhang and Hua Wang
Catalysts 2025, 15(5), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15050491 - 19 May 2025
Viewed by 347
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) to ammonia (NH3) presents an alternative, sustainable approach to ammonia production. However, the existing catalysts suffer from poor NH3 yield under lower concentrations of NO3−, and the kinetic understanding [...] Read more.
Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) to ammonia (NH3) presents an alternative, sustainable approach to ammonia production. However, the existing catalysts suffer from poor NH3 yield under lower concentrations of NO3−, and the kinetic understanding of bimetal catalysis is lacking. In this study, a Co3O4–modified Cu2+1O nanowire (CoCuNWs) catalyst with a high specific surface area was synthesized to effectively produce NH3 from a 10 mM KNO3 basic solution. CoCuNWs demonstrated a high NH3 yield rate of 0.30 mmol h−1 cm−2 with an NH3 Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 96.7% at −0.2 V vs. RHE, which is 1.5 times higher than the bare Cu2+1O NWs. The synergistic effect between Co3O4 and Cu2+1O significantly enhanced both the nitrate conversion and ammonia yield. Importantly, it is revealed that the surface of CoCuNWs is kinetically more easily saturated with NO3− (NO2−) ions than that of Cu2+1O NWs, as evidenced by both the higher current density and the plateau occurring at higher NOx− concentrations. In addition, CoCuNWs exhibit a higher diffusion coefficient of NO3−, being 1.6 times higher than that of Cu2+1O NWs, which also indicates that the presence of Co3O4 could promote the diffusion and adsorption of NO3− on CoCuNWs. Moreover, the ATR–SEIRAS analysis was applied to illustrate the reduction pathway of NO3− to NH3 on CoCuNWs, which follows the formation of the key intermediate from *NO2−, *NO, *NH2OH to *NH3. This work presents a strategy for constructing dual–metal catalysts for NO3−RR and provides an insight to understand the catalysis from the perspective of the kinetics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries)
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Review

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23 pages, 3490 KiB  
Review
Rational Design Strategies for Covalent Organic Frameworks Toward Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production
by Yingjie Zheng, Yi Zhao, Wen Luo, Yifan Zhang, Yong Wang and Yang Wu
Catalysts 2025, 15(5), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15050500 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a versatile and environmentally friendly oxidant with broad applications in industry, energy, and environmental remediation. Electrocatalytic H2O2 production via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) has emerged as a sustainable [...] Read more.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a versatile and environmentally friendly oxidant with broad applications in industry, energy, and environmental remediation. Electrocatalytic H2O2 production via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) has emerged as a sustainable alternative to traditional anthraquinone processes. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a class of crystalline porous materials, exhibit high structural tunability, large surface areas, and chemical stability, making them promising electrocatalysts for 2e− ORR. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in COF-based electrocatalysts for H2O2 production, including both metal-free and metal-containing systems. We discuss key strategies in COF design—such as dimensional modulation, linkage engineering, heteroatom doping, and post-synthetic modification—and highlight their effects on activity, selectivity, and stability. Fundamental insights into the 2e− ORR mechanism and evaluation metrics are also provided. Finally, we offer perspectives on current challenges and future directions, emphasizing the integration of machine learning, conductivity enhancement, and scalable synthesis to advance COFs toward practical H2O2 electrosynthesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries)
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22 pages, 8049 KiB  
Review
A Review on the Design of Cathode Catalyst Materials for Zinc-Iodine Batteries
by Wanyi Cui, Weishang Jia, Bailin Yu, Shirui Wang, Xiaoyuan Zhang, Xiaolong Qubie, Xingbin Lv and Feifei Wang
Catalysts 2025, 15(2), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15020178 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1170
Abstract
Zinc-iodine batteries, which have the advantages of low cost, high safety, long lifespan, and high energy density, currently rank as one of the most promising electrical energy storage devices. However, these batteries still face significant challenges, including sluggish iodine redox kinetics and the [...] Read more.
Zinc-iodine batteries, which have the advantages of low cost, high safety, long lifespan, and high energy density, currently rank as one of the most promising electrical energy storage devices. However, these batteries still face significant challenges, including sluggish iodine redox kinetics and the shuttle effect of polyiodides. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in cathode catalysts for zinc-iodine batteries, with a particular focus on the electrochemical processes and working mechanisms of catalysts, and delves into the prospects and scientific issues associated with their development. It then presents a detailed analysis of the mechanisms, principles, and performances of various catalysts, including heteroatom-doped carbon materials, single-atom catalysts, dual-atom catalysts, molecular catalysts, and transition metal compounds, in catalyzing the cathodes of zinc-iodine batteries. These diverse catalysts, with their unique functionalities and catalytic effects, can substantially address the kinetic challenges related to iodine conversion efficiency and the stability issues associated with polyiodide shuttle. Nonetheless, several challenges persist, such as reducing the synthesis cost of catalysts, minimizing catalyst usage to enhance the overall energy density of zinc-iodine batteries, and improving the long-term activity of catalysts. This review is expected to deepen our understanding of cathode catalysts for zinc-iodine batteries and facilitate their practical applications in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries)
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34 pages, 8841 KiB  
Review
Research Progress of Pt-Based Catalysts toward Cathodic Oxygen Reduction Reactions for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
by Yue Chen, Zhiyin Huang, Jiefen Yu, Haiyi Wang, Yukuan Qin, Lixin Xing and Lei Du
Catalysts 2024, 14(9), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14090569 - 28 Aug 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2560
Abstract
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been considered by many countries and enterprises because of their cleanness and efficiency. However, due to their high cost and low platinum utilization rate, the commercialization process of PEMFC is severely limited. The cathode catalyst layer [...] Read more.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been considered by many countries and enterprises because of their cleanness and efficiency. However, due to their high cost and low platinum utilization rate, the commercialization process of PEMFC is severely limited. The cathode catalyst layer (CCL) plays an important role in manipulating the performance and lifespan of PEMFCs, which makes them one of the most significant research focuses in this community. In the CCL, the intrinsic activity and stability of the catalysts determine the performance and lifetime of the catalyst layer. In this paper, the composition and working principle of the PEMFC and cathode catalyst layer are briefly introduced, focusing on Pt-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs). The research progress of Pt-based catalysts in the past five years is particularly reviewed, mainly concentrating on the development status of emerging Pt-based catalysts which are popular in the current research field, including novel concepts like phase regulation (intermetallic alloys and high-entropy alloys), interface engineering (coupled low-Pt/Pt-free catalysts), and single-atom catalysts. Finally, the future research and development directions of Pt-based ORR catalysts are summarized and prospected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powering the Future: Advances of Catalysis in Batteries)
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