Noncovalent Modification of Carbon Nanotubes with Pyrene-Functionalized Nickel Complexes: Carbon Monoxide Tolerant Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution and Uptake

摘要

Hydrogen production through the reduction of water appears to be a very attractive solution for the long-term storage of renewable energy. However, economically viable processes require platinum-free catalysts, since this expensive and scarce metal is not a sustainable resource. We recently showed that the combination of a bioinspired molecular approach with nanochemical tools, through the covalent attachment of mimics of the active site of hydrogenase enzymes onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs), results in a noble-metal-free electrocatalytic nanomaterial with low overpoten-tial and exceptional stability for H2 evolution or uptake. In this initial study, we used the electroreduction of a diazonium salt to decorate multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) deposited on the electrode support with a polyphenylene layer bearing amino groups.