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

电活性平面和垂直二维材料形式（例如碳纳米管（CNW）、石墨烯样结构和过渡金属二硫属化物（TMDC））的领域已经呈指数增长，在能量收集和传感应用中具有广泛的潜在应用。其独特的性能包括原始界面，无悬挂键，导致界面陷阱态密度低，散射减少，超薄和均匀的厚度，导致波动免疫环境，以及从金属，绝缘体和半导体的广泛选择，具有可控的带隙。尽管在平面和垂直2D材料形式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完全实现。基于2D材料的电极的结构设计和表面是影响其反应动力学、质量传输以及因此其性能的关键因素。在2D材料的化学气相沉积（CVD）或等离子体增强CVD（PECVD）生长期间对晶格取向、层数和受控缺陷的控制仍然是一个挑战。通过拟议的发现补助金（DG）研究计划，我们的目标是发现这些材料以平面或垂直方式生长过程中成核和边缘重建的最佳条件，以及预测它们在不同衬底（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者来说是必不可少的，以改善他们的生长过程，并利用这些知识来设计电活性电极。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。我们对电催化水裂解反应的拓扑表面状态的探索将使我们能够探测新的物理现象，以恢复TMDC和CNW的催化活性，从而在商业应用中取代昂贵的铂基电催化剂。 拟议的DG计划是建立在一个座右铭，"建立一个低碳，气候适应性的未来"，通过引入贵金属的新型催化剂材料的"绿色氢"生产和传感器的概念。该方案的主要贡献可归纳如下：（i）在TMDC 2D材料、CNW石墨烯类结构的新兴领域创造知识，重点是它们在应用中的整合（ii）培训目前并将继续在学术研究实验室和工业部门有很大需求的高技能HQP，（iii）为加拿大工业创造种子技术和专门知识，转化为全球竞争优势;（iv）通过其研究资助机构，通过对纳米技术的数百万美元投资，巩固加拿大作为可持续纳米技术研究领导者的地位，研究机构和加拿大工业部。

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.