Transition metals and transition metal compounds for electrocatalytic energy conversion and alkali-based batteries

Transition metals and transition metal compounds are at the forefront of advancing electrocatalytic energy conversion and battery technologies. Their unique electronic structures and variable oxidation states make them essential for optimizing electrochemical processes crucial for energy storage and conversion. This special topic focuses on the role of transition metals and transition metal compounds in improving the efficiency, stability, and sustainability of electrocatalysts used in fuel cells, water splitting, and CO₂ reduction, as well as their integration into battery systems. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how transition metal compounds can revolutionize technologies like lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries through enhanced catalytic activity, charge transfer, and material stability.

Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

(1) Transition metal and transition metal compounds catalysts for fuel cells;

(2) Electrocatalysts for water splitting;

(3) CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) using transition metals and transition metal compounds catalysts;

(4) Transition metals and transition metal compounds in lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery cathodes;

(5) Advanced computational modeling of transition metals and transition metal compounds electrocatalysts.