Preparation of electroactive low dimensional materials for advanced electrocatalysis and sensors applications

电活性平面和垂直二维二维材料领域，如碳纳米墙（CNWs）、石墨烯类结构和过渡金属二硫族化合物（TMDCs），在能量收集和传感应用中具有广泛的潜在应用。它们的独特特性包括没有悬垂键的原始界面，导致低密度的界面陷阱状态和减少散射，超薄和均匀的厚度导致不受波动影响的环境，以及具有可控带隙的金属，绝缘体和半导体的广泛选择。尽管在平面和垂直二维材料形态的合成和基本性质研究方面做出了巨大的努力和取得了相当大的进展，但它们的技术潜力尚未得到充分实现。基于二维材料的电极的结构设计和表面是影响其反应动力学、质量传递和性能的关键因素。在化学气相沉积（CVD）或等离子体增强CVD （PECVD）的二维材料生长过程中，对晶格取向、层数和控制缺陷的控制仍然是一个挑战。通过提出的发现补助金（DG）研究计划，我们的目标是发现在这些材料以平面或垂直方式生长期间成核和边缘重建的最佳条件，以及预测它们在不同基质（金属和隔离）上生长时的结构和稳定性。这样的指导对于实验人员改善他们的生长过程和利用这些知识来设计电活性电极是必不可少的。这些电极将被开发为水分解（析氢反应）和传感应用的电催化剂。我们对电催化水分解反应的拓扑表面状态的探索将使我们能够探索新的物理现象，以恢复TMDCs和cnw的催化活性，以取代商业应用中昂贵的铂基电催化剂。拟议的DG项目以“建立一个低碳、气候适应型的未来”为座右铭，通过引入无贵金属的新型催化剂材料，用于“绿色氢”生产和传感器概念。这个项目的主要贡献可以概括如下：(i)在新兴的TMDCs二维材料领域的知识创造，CNWs类石墨烯结构的增长，重点是它们在应用中的集成（ii）高技能hqp的培训，他们目前和未来在学术研究实验室和工业部门都有很大的需求。（iii）为加拿大工业创造种子技术和专业知识，转化为全球竞争优势；（iv）通过其研究资助机构、研究机构和加拿大工业部在纳米技术方面投资数百万美元，巩固加拿大在可持续纳米技术研究方面的领导地位。

The field of electroactive flat and vertical two-dimensional 2D materials form such as carbon nanowalls (CNWs) graphene-like structure and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) has grown exponentially with wide-ranging potential applications in energy harvesting and sensing applications. Their unique properties include pristine interfaces free of dangling bonds leading to low density of interface trap states and reduced scattering, ultra-thin and uniform thickness leading to fluctuation-immune environment and a wide range of choices from metals, insulators and semiconductors with controllable band gaps. Despite the tremendous efforts and considerable progress in the synthesis and fundamental property investigation of flat and vertical 2D materials form, their technological potential has not yet been fully realized. The structural design and surface of an electrode based on 2D materials are key factors affecting its reaction kinetics, mass transportation and consequently its performance. The control over lattice orientation, number of layers and controlled defects during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or Plasma-Enhanced CVD (PECVD) growth of 2D materials remains a challenge. Through the proposed Discovery Grant (DG) research program, we aim to discover the optimal conditions for nucleation and edge reconstruction during the growth of these materials in flat or vertical manner, as well as to predict their structure and stability when grown on different substrates (metallic and isolated). Such guidance is imperative for experimentalists to improve their growth processes and to leverage this knowledge to engineer electroactive electrodes. These electrodes will be exploited as electrocatalysts for water splitting (hydrogen evolution reaction) and for sensing applications. Our exploration of topological surface states for electrocatalytic water splitting reactions will allow us to probe novel physical phenomena to revive the catalytic activity of TMDCs and CNWs to replace costly platinum-based electrocatalysts in commercial applications. The proposed DG program is built on a motto to 'build a low carbon, climate-resilient future' by introducing noble metal-free novel catalyst materials for 'green hydrogen' production and sensors conception. The main contributions of this program can be summarized as follows: (i) knowledge creation in the bourgeoning area of TMDCs 2D material, CNWs graphene-like structures growth with an emphasis on their integration in applications (ii) training of highly skilled HQPs who are currently and continue to be in great demand in academic research labs and industrial sectors, (iii) creation of seed technology and expertise for the Canadian industry translating to a global competitive edge and (iv) consolidating Canada's position as a leader in sustainable nanotechnology research with multimillion-dollar investments in nanotechnology through its research funding agencies, research institutes and Industry Canada.