Rational Design of Advanced Hybrid Nanostructures for Catalysis and Electrocatalysis

Abstract

The hybrid nanostructures exhibit excellent performances in various fields such as catalysis, sensing, and energy conversion as compared to their individual ones. The thesis deals with the new methods for the synthesis of different type of hybrids with doped/pristine carbon nanostructures in the form of graphene, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as one component and metals nanostructures (Ag, Pd, Pt and Au), carbide (Fe3C), metal chalcogenides (Ni3S2 and Co9S8) and oxide (CoO) as the other components. Various synthesis techniques such as modified galvanic replacement reaction at room temperature, hydrothermal, microwave and pyrolysis have been explored for the synthesis of different hybrid nanostructures. Furthermore, various hybrid nanostructures have been explored for various catalytic activities such as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction. It may be noted that the ORR and OER which are undoubtedly vital for their applications in fuel cells, metal-air batteries and water oxidation reaction. Interestingly, the catalytic activities of these hybrid nanostructures are comparable or better as compared to the commercial benchmark precious catalysts.