Application of X‐Ray Absorption Spectroscopy in Electrocatalytic Water Splitting and CO2 Reduction
Bin Wang,
Shengqi Chu,
Lirong Zheng,
Xiaodong Li,
Jiangwei Zhang,
Fuxiang Zhang
Affiliations
Bin Wang
State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences; Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM) Zhongshan Road 457 Dalian 116023 China
Shengqi Chu
Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility Institute of High Energy Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
Lirong Zheng
Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility Institute of High Energy Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
Xiaodong Li
Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility Institute of High Energy Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
Jiangwei Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences; Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM) Zhongshan Road 457 Dalian 116023 China
Fuxiang Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences; Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM) Zhongshan Road 457 Dalian 116023 China
Renewable energy conversion and storage are crucial in aiding the worldwide efforts to replace fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality. In particular, electrocatalytic water splitting to obtain H2 and CO2 reduction to high‐value‐added fuels can lead to an epoch of hydrogen energy and a closed‐loop carbon cycle. Although many reported electrocatalysts have demonstrated outstanding performance at the laboratory scale, the origin of the superior electrocatalytic activity and selectivity and the structural evolution of these catalysts remain ambiguous. For this purpose, operando techniques are able to combine the characterizations of the catalyst with measurement of its performance under real working conditions. Herein, a critical overview of recent developments in understanding the underlying mechanisms of water splitting and CO2 reduction is presented, emphasizing the advanced operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy characterization of these two electrocatalytic reactions. Some perceptions of the rising X‐ray technique directions and the foreground in this field are also presented.
