Pd–Rh/CuOₓ heterostructured nanomaterials for enhanced interfacial charge transfer and green hydrogen production

Title : Pd–Rh/CuOₓ heterostructured nanomaterials for enhanced interfacial charge transfer and green hydrogen production

Abstract:

The development of efficient and stable catalytic materials is crucial for the progress of sustainable hydrogen production and energy-conversion technologies. Herein, the use of Pd-Rh/CuO_x heterostructured nanomaterials as multifunctional catalytic systems are proposed, through the combination of Pd-Rh bimetallic active sites and defect-rich copper oxide (CuO?). The combination of catalytically active noble-metal components with the semiconductor characteristics of CuO_x provides an opportunity to tailor interfacial electronic interactions and facilitate charge redistribution across the heterostructure. Particular attention is given to understanding the relationship between Pd–Rh incorporation, CuO_x defect states, surface morphology, interfacial interactions and charge-transfer behaviour. The formation and structural characteristics of the heterostructured materials will be investigated using complementary structural, morphological, optical and surface-sensitive characterization techniques. These analyses will be used to establish correlations between the structural features, defect chemistry, electronic properties and catalytic behaviour of the Pd–Rh/CuO_x system. The heterointerface is expected to play a critical role in modifying the local electronic structure and providing favourable pathways for interfacial charge transfer. We expect Pd and Rh to form catalytically active sites while the defect-rich CuO_x can contribute semiconductor-mediated charge-transfer processes and additional surface-active sites. Hence, the synergistic interaction between the Pd–Rh bimetallic centres and CuO_x is expected to improve the accessibility of active sites and to promote the hydrogen-generation reactions. The objective of this work is to establish a structure-property relationship for Pd-Rh/CuO_x heterostructures with a particular emphasis on interfacial charge transfer and defect-mediated catalytic processes. The study provides a rational materials-design strategy for developing advanced heterostructured catalysts toward sustainable green hydrogen production and energy-conversion applications.

Keywords: Pd–Rh; CuO_x; heterostructures; defect engineering; interfacial charge transfer; nanomaterials; catalysis; green hydrogen.

Biography:

Dr. Putiki Babuji has a background in Physics and completed his Ph.D. at GITAM (Deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam, India. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Koneru Lakshmaiah University, Vijayawada, India. His research interests include bimetallic nanomaterials, plasmonic materials, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, functional thin films and catalytic materials. He has research experience in sputtering, laser irradiation, ion irradiation and materials characterization. His current research focuses on heterostructured nanomaterials, interfacial charge transfer and sustainable energy applications.