PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen

2014-01-23
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Matt Shipman
matt_shipman@ncsu.edu
919-515-6386
North Carolina State University
Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen

Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen.

Hydrogen holds great promise as an energy source, but the production of hydrogen from water electrolysis – freeing hydrogen from water with electricity – currently relies in large part on the use of expensive platinum catalysts. The new research shows that MoS2 atomically thin films are also effective catalysts for hydrogen production and – while not as efficient as platinum – are relatively inexpensive.

"We found that the thickness of the thin film is very important," says Dr. Linyou Cao, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and senior author of a paper describing the work. "A thin film consisting of a single layer of atoms was the most efficient, with every additional layer of atoms making the catalytic performance approximately five times worse."

The effect of the thin films' thickness came as a surprise to researchers, because it has long been thought that catalysis normally takes place along the edges of the material. Because thin films have very little 'edge,' conventional wisdom held that thin films were essentially catalytically inactive.

But the researchers discovered that a material's thickness is important because the thinner the MoS2 thin film is, the more conductive it becomes – and the more conductive it becomes, the more effective it is as a catalyst.

"The focus has been on creating catalysts with a large 'edge' side," Cao says. "Our work indicates that researchers may want to pay more attention to a catalyst's conductivity."

Cao developed the technique for creating high-quality MoS2 thin films at the atomic scale in 2013. The current production of hydrogen from the atomically thin film is powered by electricity. His team is working to develop a solar-powered water-splitting device that uses the MoS2 thin films to create hydrogen.



INFORMATION:



The paper, "Layer-dependent Electrocatalysis of MoS2 for Hydrogen Evolution," is published online in Nano Letters. Lead author of the paper is Yifei Yu, a Ph.D. student at NC State. Co-authors include Yanpeng Li, a Ph.D. student at NC State; Dr. Shengyang Huang, a former visiting scholar at NC State; and Drs. Stephan Steinmann and Weitao Yang of Duke University. The research was supported by U.S. Army Research Office grant W911NF-13-1-0201.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Unprecedented structural insights: NMDA receptors can be blocked to limit neurotoxicity

2014-01-23
Cold Spring Harbor, NY – Structural biologists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and collaborators at Emory University have obtained important scientific results likely ...

Better protein capture a boon for drug manufacturers

2014-01-23
Rice University scientists have created a way to fine tune a process critical to the pharmaceutical industry that could save a lot of time ...

Spider silk ties scientists up in knots

2014-01-23
Two years ago, researchers from Iowa State University (USA) published a study which concluded that spider silk conducts heat as well as metals. Now, a team from the University of the Basque ...

Can personalized tumor vaccines improve interleukin-2 treated metastatic melanoma?

2014-01-23
New Rochelle, NY, January 22, 2014—Metastatic melanoma has a poor prognosis, but treatment with high-dose interleukin-2 (IL2) can extend survival. Now, ...

Galaxies on FIRE: Star feedback results in less massive galaxies

2014-01-23
For decades, astrophysicists have encountered a puzzling contradiction: although many galactic-wind models—simulations of how matter is distributed in our universe—predict that the majority of ...

Cooling microprocessors with carbon nanotubes

2014-01-23
"Cool it!" That's a prime directive for microprocessor chips and a promising new solution to meeting this imperative is in the ...

UofL epidemiologist uncovers new genes linked to abdominal fat

2014-01-23
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Excess abdominal fat can be a precursor to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. A person's measure of belly fat is reflected in the ratio ...

Humans can use smell to detect levels of dietary fat

2014-01-23
PHILADELPHIA (January 22, 2014) – New research from the Monell Center reveals humans can use the sense of smell to detect dietary fat in food. As food smell almost always is detected before taste, the findings ...

'Watch' cites concern about femoral neck fractures in long-necked modular implants

2014-01-23
Needham, MA.–JBJS Case Connector, an online case report journal published by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, has issued ...

Vulvar condition causing painful sex strikes twice as many Hispanic women

2014-01-23
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Key ExoMars Rover part ships from Aberystwyth

90% of Science Is Lost: Frontiers’ revolutionary AI-powered service transforms data sharing to deliver breakthroughs faster

Skin symptoms may forewarn mental health risks

Brain test predicts ability to achieve orgasm – but only in patients taking antidepressants

‘New reality’ as world reaches first climate tipping point

Non-English primary language may raise risk of delirium after surgery, study finds

Children fast from clear liquids much longer before surgery than guidelines recommend, large study shows

Food insecurity, loneliness can increase the risk of developing chronic pain after surgery

Cesarean delivery linked to higher risk of pain and sleep problems after childbirth

New global burden of disease study: Mortality declines, youth deaths rise, widening health inequities

Chemobiological platform enables renewable conversion of sugars into core aromatic hydrocarbons of petroleum

Individualized perioperative blood pressure management in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery

Proactive vs reactive treatment of hypotension during surgery

Different types of depression linked to different cardiometabolic diseases

Ketogenic diet may protect against stress experienced in the womb

Adults 65 years and older not immune to the opioid epidemic, new study finds

Artificial intelligence emerging as powerful patient safety tool in pediatric anesthesia

Mother’s ZIP code, lack of access to prenatal care can negatively impact baby’s health at birth, new studies show

American Society of Anesthesiologists honors John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with Distinguished Service Award

A centimeter-scale quadruped piezoelectric robot with high integration and strong robustness

Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander

Research gives insight into effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm

Biochar and plants join forces to clean up polluted soils and boost ecosystem recovery

Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies

ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.

Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns

Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns

Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring

Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions

MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries

[Press-News.org] Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen