Hydrogen production, through the reduction of water in electrolysers, is currently one of the most convenient ways to store energy durably, if the electrical energy is initially obtained from renewable resources. However, while electrolysis is a mature and robust technology, the most promising devices, based on proton exchange membranes, relay on the use of platinum as electrocatalyst to accelerate both hydrogen evolution and water oxidation reactions. However, this rare and expensive metal is not itself a renewable resource, so the viability of a hydrogen economy depends on the design of new efficient and robust electrocatalytic materials based on earth-abundant elements.1 We will describe our efforts in the past year for the design of noble-metal free bio-inspired catalysts and on different approaches undertaken for the covalent functionalization of electrode nanomaterials with cobalt diimine�dioxime complexes2 and other nickel-based3, 4 catalysts. Their activity for H2 evolution under fully aqueous conditions will be described and the construction of a molecular-based photocathode for hydrogen evolution discussed.5 References1.            V. Artero, M. Chavarot-Kerlidou and M. Fontecave, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2011, 50 , 7238-7266.2.            E. S. Andreiadis, P.-A. Jacques, P. D. Tran, A. Leyris, M. Chavarot-Kerlidou, B. Jousselme, M. Matheron, J. P�caut, S. Palacin, M. Fontecave and V. Artero, Nat. Chem., 2013, 5 , 48-53.3.            A. Le Goff, V. Artero, B. Jousselme, P. D. Tran, N. Guillet, R. Metaye, A. Fihri, S. Palacin and M. Fontecave, Science, 2009, 326 , 1384-1387.4.            P. D. Tran, A. Le Goff, J. Heidkamp, B. Jousselme, N. Guillet, S. Palacin, H. Dau, M. Fontecave and V. Artero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2011, 50 , 1371-1374.5.            T. Bourgeteau, D. Tondelier, B. Geffroy, R. Brisse, C. Laberty-Robert, S. Campidelli, R. de Bettignies, V. Artero, S. Palacin and B. Jousselme, Energy Environ. Sci., 2013, 6 , 2706-2713.

Bioinspired nanocatalysts for water-splitting

247th National Meeting (2014)

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