The Electrochemical Tuning of Transition Metal-Based Materials for Electrocatalysis

The development of clean and sustainable energy depends largely on electrocatalysis-driven technologies. Because of this, tremendous efforts have been devoted to the search for efficient electrocatalysts to reduce the overpotential and increase the selectivity of electrochemical reactions. Of the various approaches, electrochemical tuning is seen as a promising technique to controllably tune the properties of catalytic materials under mild conditions. Based on this, this review will present representative electrochemical tuning methodologies involving insertion and conversion reactions in batteries as well as in situ electrode modulation during electrocatalysis processes. This review will first provide an introduction of electrochemical tuning strategies from the perspective of reactions and devices. Subsequently, this review will present comprehensive discussions on recent advancements in the modulation of various electrocatalyst properties, including electronic structure, crystalline phase, lattice strain and dimensional size, all of which significantly impact corresponding intrinsic activity and active site exposure. This review will also highlight the merits, challenges and issues of electrochemical tuning and propose promising directions in the exploration of corresponding methods in the design and enhancement of electrocatalysts for future energy applications.