Electrochemistry of Nanostructured Materials: Implementation in Electrocatalysis for Energy Conversion Applications

Abstract

The study of electrochemical phenomena and electrocatalytic properties using chemical structures at nanoscale is a rapidly emerging area in electrochemical and material science. A notable achievement in the performance of functional materials has been the understanding of the electrochemical mechanisms and the development of advanced catalytic nanostructured materials. Consequently, efforts will continue to synthesise and explore novel nanoscale materials to meet the requirement of sustainable and renewable resources owing to climate change and the decreasing availability of fossil fuels. The present review explores in depth the current state of the nanoscale frontier in electrochemistry. It includes investigation of electrochemical processes of nanostructured materials, electroanalysis using nanostructured materials, fundamental aspects of electron transfer and mass transfer at nanoscale surface during catalysis. It will also provide an understanding of the activity and stability of electrocatalysts under critical experimental conditions. A brief discussion on the utilisation of nanostructured materials in energy domains such as fuel cells is presented at the end.