Shengqi Chu

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for diverse electrochemical energy conversion systems; however, it has so far been plagued by sluggish kinetics and excessive energy consumption. In this study, we proposed an innovative thermoelectric‐electrocatalytic coupling strategy to enhance OER efficiency by constructing an Ohmic heterointerface through uniform integration of RuO ₂ with thermoelectric oxide (PrCoO ₃ ). Combined experimental and theoretical analyses revealed that the thermoelectric potential generated by PrCoO ₃ selectively activates the intrinsically inert (101) facet of RuO ₂ by lowering *OOH formation barrier, thereby substantially boosting the overall OER performance. Consequently, the RuO ₂ /PrCoO ₃ heterointerface delivered exceptional OER performance under a mild temperature gradient (Δ T ) of 175°C, achieving dramatic reduction in overpotential at 10 mA cm ⁻² from 300 mV (Δ T = 0°C) to 178 mV, 4 300% increase in current density, and negligible potential loss over 1,000 h. When the catalyst was assembled into an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer, the cell driven by spontaneous heating reached a low voltage of 2.18 V at a current density of 2.0 A cm ⁻² , with stable operation for 600 h. These insights into harnessing thermal gradient via integrated electrocatalytic system are crucial for the recovery of industrial waste heat and its conversion into high‐value chemicals.

Heterojunctions composed of identical metallic elements have intrinsic lattice-matching, tunable compositions, and low interfacial resistance, positioning them as promising candidates for electrochemical applications. However, constructing robust heterojunctions and correlating site chemistry remain challenging. Here, we present a highly durable Nb ₄ CuC ₃ /Nb ₄ C ₃ T _x heterostructure that exhibits outstanding cycling stability with virtually no capacity degradation over 10,000 cycles (5.0 amperes per gram) in lithium-ion batteries. Synchrotron radiation core-level spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy resolved four distinct niobium (Nb) coordination environments within the heterojunction. Critically, by integrating a site-selective x-ray analysis (diffraction anomalous fine structure) with complementary synchrotron techniques, it was pinpointed that the Nb _I sites on the Nb ₄ C ₃ T _x surface represent the true electrochemically active centers, while the Nb ₄ CuC ₃ component primarily serves as structural buffer during cycling processes. This work establishes a versatile methodological platform for precisely identifying active sites within complex multisite structures during the working process, thus guiding the rational design of targeted active sites in heterogeneous electrochemical systems for high-performance energy storage.

Supported chromia catalysts have been commercially used in propane dehydrogenation, which relies on Cr loading at weight fractions of up to 20 wt %. This leads to problems in managing spent catalysts with a high content of toxic chromium species. These catalysts also rapidly deactivate within 10-15 min, requiring frequent regeneration in each cycle. To overcome these problems, we developed a siliceous MFI zeolite with an ultralow Cr content (e.g., 0.09 wt %) that exhibits high activity and durability for propane dehydrogenation. A mechanism study revealed that the chromic hydroxyl species readily dissociated the C-H bonds, accelerating the rapid desorption of propylene products and resulting in a slow deactivation rate. Therefore, the catalyst lifetime can be prolonged to more than 30 days under mild operating conditions (525 °C).