Heterogeneous catalyst engineering ⇒ from stable and deactivation resistant to viable technical catalyst
Advances in heterogeneous catalyst “structure” are driven to improve their “function” or performance, i.e., activity, selectivity, and stability. Cooperative research is required to understand the structure and function relationships: developing new synthesis protocols for heterogeneous catalysts with unique surface properties, defined porosity, identification and understanding of catalytically active sites, reaction mechanisms, and finally, prediction and analysis of the processes using various computational tools.
Our group focuses on developing new catalyst formulations using innovative synthesis routes for various important heterogeneous catalysts. That includes thermal, electro, and bio-electro catalysis.
The active phase cannot be used directly in its final application or reactor for various reasons, including poor mechanical resistance, heat or mass transport, and fluidization features. We must mix the active phase with other ingredients in a matrix of binder and filler, while we shape it into a technical catalyst. We investigate new synthetic protocols for technical catalysis using spray drying and fluidized beds to cover the whole range of sizes. At the same time, we incorporate additional (unconventional) ingredients such as SiC to improve some features even further.
- Technical catalyst I ⇒ spray drying and extrusion
- Technical catalyst II ⇒ spray fluidized bed reactor
- Technical catalyst III ⇒ electrospinning
- Zeolite catalysts ⇒ with defined structure/porosity
- Multi-metal (high entropy) alloy catalysts
- MXene catalysts ⇒ single and multi-dimensional
- Perovskite catalysts
- Metal-organic framework (MOFs) catalysts
- Supported metal/metal-oxide catalysts
- Aerogel catalyst
NiCoOx@NiCo core–shell nanoparticles supported on Ti3C2Tx as cathode electrocatalyst for microbial fuel cells
by
Kolubah, Mohamed, Hedhili, Hassine, Ahmad, Velisoju, Emwas, Dally, Cavallo
J. Mater. Chem. A
Year:
2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ta03240k
Abstract
The intrinsically sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at platinum-group-metal-free cathodes remains a key bottleneck for the practical deployment of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Ti3C2Tx MXene is a promising conductive scaffold, yet its ORR activity is hindered by strong O2 adsorption at Ti sites, leading to sluggish kinetics at neutral pH. Here, we address this limitation by developing a targeted chemical-reduction strategy that assembles NiCo alloy nanocores encapsulated in a thin NiCo-oxide shell (∼4 nm) onto Ti3C2Tx, forming a (NiCoOx@NiCo)/Ti3C2Tx heterostructure catalyst. The core–shell domains modulate the local electronic environment, lower the O2 binding energy, and introduce abundant active sites, thereby leveraging the high conductivity of Ti3C2Tx. As an air-cathode MFC treating glucose-supplemented wastewater, the catalyst delivers a current density of 4.5 A m−2 and a peak power density of 1.6 W m−2, outperforming pristine Ti3C2Tx. This work establishes a generalizable heterostructure design strategy for activating MXene-based catalysts toward efficient neutral-pH ORR, bridging fundamental catalyst design with practical microbial fuel cell applications.
Keywords
HCE
EPB
