Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The Local Coordination Effects on the Reactivity and Speciation of Active Sites in Graphene-Embedded Single-Atom Catalysts Over Wide pH and Potential Range

Version 1 : Received: 22 November 2022 / Approved: 25 November 2022 / Online: 25 November 2022 (10:06:33 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Ritopečki, M.S.; Dobrota, A.S.; Skorodumova, N.V.; Pašti, I.A. The Local Coordination Effects on the Reactivity and Speciation of Active Sites in Graphene-Embedded Single-Atom Catalysts over Wide pH and Potential Range. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 4309. Ritopečki, M.S.; Dobrota, A.S.; Skorodumova, N.V.; Pašti, I.A. The Local Coordination Effects on the Reactivity and Speciation of Active Sites in Graphene-Embedded Single-Atom Catalysts over Wide pH and Potential Range. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 4309.

Abstract

Understanding the catalytic performance of different materials is of crucial importance for further technological advancements. This especially relates to the behavior of different classes of catalysts under operating conditions. Here we analyze the effects of local coordination of metal centers (Mn, Fe, Co) in graphene-embedded Single-Atom Catalysts (SACs). We have started from well-known M@N4-graphene catalysts and systematically replaced nitrogen atoms with oxygen or sulfur atom to obtain M@OxNy-graphene and M@SxNy-graphene SACs (x+y=4). We show that local coordination strongly affects the electronic structure and the reactivity towards hydrogen and oxygen species. However, the stability is even more affected. Using the concept of Pourbaix plots, we show that the replacement of nitrogen atoms coordinating metal center with O or S destabilizes SACs towards the dissolution, while the metal centers get easily covered by O and OH acting as additional ligands at high anodic potentials and high pH values. Thus, not only should local coordination be considered in terms of the activity of SACs, but it is also necessary to consider its effects on the speciation of SACs' active centers under different potential and pH conditions.

Keywords

single-atom catalysts; graphene; activity; reactivity; stability; Pourbaix plots

Subject

Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanotechnology

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