New Avenues to Chemical Space for Energy Materials by the Molecular Precursor Approach

Abstract

The quest to develop efficient electrocatalysts for water‐splitting is still an ongoing challenge. Intense efforts have been dedicated over the years to design effective methods to improve the electrocatalytic performances. In recent times, the single‐source (molecular) precursor (SSP) approach has gained enormous attention from the scientific community as it operates at low temperatures and leads to the formation of unique nanostructured materials, with fine‐tuned chemical and physical properties, resulting in high and stable catalytic activities. Herein, the recent developments in molecule‐to‐material chemistry and their applications toward the oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and overall water‐splitting are summarized. Furthermore, the review focuses on understanding the reconstruction process of the SSP‐derived materials and the adopted techniques (in situ and ex situ) to obtain insights into the active structures for catalysis. The future possibilities of applying these materials for value‐added organic electro‐oxidation/reduction reactions are also explored.

Keywords

• electrocatalysts
• hydrogen evolution reaction
• molecule-to-material
• overall water-splitting reaction
• oxygen evolution reaction
• reconstruction