Self-supported Electrocatalysts

Abstract

Due to depletion of fossil fuels, development of large-scale ground-breaking energy conversion technology like fuel cells, water splitting, air batteries etc. needs pertinent catalyst to ease the process of conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy with greater efficiency in low time consuming. In this chapter, we will discuss the role of self-supported catalyst, which are now trending the era of nanotechnology in electrocatalysis. Self-supported catalyst can be grown on soft substrate, hard substrate or can be free standing. Self-supported electrocatalyst does not needs binder for their attachment on the conductive surface of other electrodes like glassy carbon electrode, platinum electrode, graphite electrode. They have various unique properties like flexible electrode surface, large number of active sites, high electrical conductivity, better catalytic performances, and stability in any pH electrolytic solution. They render much hassle-free electrode synthesis procedure than the powdery electrode material. This chapter mainly focuses on the benefits of using self-supported electrodes in various energy application like water splitting, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), CO2 reduction reaction, fuel cells. It has been observed that the self-supported electrocatalyst proves to be the superior electrocatalyst in the immense area of electrocatalysis.