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Nanomaterials
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Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials
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Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 7915

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Qiu Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
Interests: miniaturized energy devices; 2D materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to their adjustable morphology and surface groups, nanostructured catalysts hold great significance in the fields of electrochemistry and energy storage. They have a wide range of applications, including fuel cells, water-splitting devices, and metal–air batteries. Nanoscale materials offer substantial advantages in electrocatalysis because of their unique structures and their electronic and physicochemical properties, such as high surface area, elevated surface atomic density, superior electron mobility, and excellent structural stability.

This Special Issue focuses on the latest innovative research and developments in nanoscale electrocatalysts, which have become a prominent topic of research, both domestically and internationally, in recent years. It encompasses a broad range of topics, including the design, synthesis, and application of nanoscale electrocatalysts. We welcome contributions from all related subjects that aim to enhance our understanding of this exciting and rapidly advancing field.

Dr. Qiu Jiang
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

  • electrocatalysis
  • electrochemical charge transfer
  • electrochemistry
  • electrochemical devices
  • nanotechnology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5434 KB  
Article
Facile Engineering of CoS@NiS Heterostructures for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction
by Ting Yang, Aiyi Dong, Weimin Liao, Xun Zhang, Yinhua Ma, Li Che and Honglin Gao
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(16), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15161216 - 8 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 757
Abstract
Hydrogen production by the electrolysis of water has become an important way to prepare green hydrogen because of its simple process and high product purity. However, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the electrolysis process has a high overpotential, which leads to the [...] Read more.
Hydrogen production by the electrolysis of water has become an important way to prepare green hydrogen because of its simple process and high product purity. However, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the electrolysis process has a high overpotential, which leads to the increase of energy consumption. Developing efficient, stable and low-cost electrolytic water catalyst is the core challenge to reduce the reaction energy barrier and improve the energy conversion efficiency. CoS@NiS-80% nanosheets with rich heterogeneous interfaces were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and sulfuration. Heterogeneous interface not only promotes the effective charge transfer between different materials and reduces the charge transfer resistance but also accelerates the four-electron transfer process through the synergistic effect of nickel and cobalt atoms. Under alkaline conditions, the overpotential of CoS@NiS-80% nanosheets was only 280 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, with a Tafel slope of 100.87 mV dec−1. Furthermore, it could work continuously for 100 h, exhibiting its outstanding stability. This work provides a novel approach for improving the OER performance of transition metal sulfide-based electrocatalysts through heterogeneous interface engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials)
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Review

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25 pages, 9362 KB  
Review
In Situ Raman Spectroscopy Reveals Structural Evolution and Key Intermediates on Cu-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
by Jinchao Zhang, Honglin Gao, Zhen Wang, Haiyang Gao, Li Che, Kunqi Xiao and Aiyi Dong
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(19), 1517; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15191517 - 3 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2271
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality and efficient utilization of renewable energy, capable of converting CO2 into high-value-added carbon-based fuels and chemicals. Copper (Cu)-based catalysts have attracted significant attention due to their [...] Read more.
Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality and efficient utilization of renewable energy, capable of converting CO2 into high-value-added carbon-based fuels and chemicals. Copper (Cu)-based catalysts have attracted significant attention due to their unique performance in generating multi-carbon (C2+) products such as ethylene and ethanol; however, there are still many controversies regarding their complex reaction mechanisms, active sites, and the dynamic evolution of intermediates. In situ Raman spectroscopy, with its high surface sensitivity, applicability in aqueous environments, and precise detection of molecular vibration modes, has become a powerful tool for studying the structural evolution of Cu catalysts and key reaction intermediates during CO2RR. This article reviews the principles of electrochemical in situ Raman spectroscopy and its latest developments in the study of CO2RR on Cu-based catalysts, focusing on its applications in monitoring the dynamic structural changes of the catalyst surface (such as Cu+, Cu0, and Cu2+ oxide species) and identifying key reaction intermediates (such as *CO, *OCCO(*O=C-C=O), *COOH, etc.). Numerous studies have shown that Cu-based oxide precursors undergo rapid reduction and surface reconstruction under CO2RR conditions, resulting in metallic Cu nanoclusters with unique crystal facets and particle size distributions. These oxide-derived active sites are considered crucial for achieving high selectivity toward C2+ products. Time-resolved Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques have further revealed the dynamic characteristics of local pH changes at the electrode/electrolyte interface and the adsorption behavior of intermediates, providing molecular-level insights into the mechanisms of selectivity control in CO2RR. However, technical challenges such as weak signal intensity, laser-induced damage, and background fluorescence interference, and opportunities such as coupling high-precision confocal Raman technology with in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy or synchrotron radiation Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in researching the mechanisms of CO2RR are also put forward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials)
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29 pages, 16006 KB  
Review
Boosting Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyzed by Transition Metal Carbides
by Xun Zhang, Aiyi Dong, Haiyang Gao, Guanyingze Wang, Yan Yin, Li Che and Honglin Gao
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(17), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15171319 - 28 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1393
Abstract
In the water splitting process for sustainable hydrogen production, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) stands as one of the pivotal half-reactions. Nevertheless, the sluggish four-electron transfer process inherent to OER has emerged as a kinetic bottleneck that impedes water electrolysis. To address this [...] Read more.
In the water splitting process for sustainable hydrogen production, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) stands as one of the pivotal half-reactions. Nevertheless, the sluggish four-electron transfer process inherent to OER has emerged as a kinetic bottleneck that impedes water electrolysis. To address this challenge, researchers have been devoting substantial efforts to developing high-performance OER electrocatalysts. Currently, iridium (Ir)-based or ruthenium (Ru)-based oxides are widely acknowledged as benchmark catalysts for OER. However, their scarcity and exorbitant cost render large-scale applications impractical. In recent years, transition metal carbides have garnered extensive attention in the realm of OER electrocatalysts, exhibiting tremendous application prospects owing to their advantages of low cost, high catalytic activity, and excellent stability. This review briefly introduces the fundamental characteristics and synthesis methodologies of transition metal carbides, summarizes the recent research advances in their application as OER catalysts, elaborates on the modification strategies and catalytic mechanisms of transition metal carbide nanomaterials, and finally discusses the challenges confronted by these metal carbides as well as the future research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials)
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35 pages, 10932 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Non-Noble Metal Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Water Splitting
by Aiyi Dong, Zifeng Li, Yinhua Ma, Weimin Liao, Fengjiao Zhao, Xun Zhang and Honglin Gao
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(14), 1106; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15141106 - 16 Jul 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3183
Abstract
Electrochemical water splitting is an efficient and eco-friendly method for hydrogen production, offering a sustainable energy solution. Currently, the noble metal platinum is considered to be the most efficient catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs). Due to the scarcity and high cost [...] Read more.
Electrochemical water splitting is an efficient and eco-friendly method for hydrogen production, offering a sustainable energy solution. Currently, the noble metal platinum is considered to be the most efficient catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs). Due to the scarcity and high cost of noble metal materials, there is an urgent need to find abundant and cost-effective non-noble metal catalysts to reduce the overpotential of HERs. In recent years, significant scientific advancements have been reported in non-noble metal HER catalysts. This review categorizes and reviews the recent non-noble metal HER catalysts and their reaction mechanisms. An exhaustive overview of proven effective catalyst categories is provided, offering early-career researchers a panoramic understanding of this dynamic research field. Finally, we address current challenges and future directions in this field to encourage further research efforts and the development of non-noble metal catalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical and Electrocatalysis Performance of Functional Nanomaterials)
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