A series of crumpled ball-like metal oxide-based catalysts enabled by aerosol synthesis

Abstract

Two-dimensional nano metal oxides (2D-NMOs) have attracted great concerns due to high exposure of active sites and short ion transport distance. However, 2D-NMOs with the layered structure render to restack into bulk ones, resulting in the active-sites coverage and ion-transport blockage. Here, crumpled 2D NMOs with paper-ball-like shape was proposed to avoid the restacking. Our new strategy can convert diversity of metal oxide into paper-ball-like structure with controllable composition by overcoming the fragile nature of metal oxide and limitation of growth pattern. Resultantly, as-prepared 2D NMOs demonstrated superior catalytic activity and durability in both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and organic dye degradation reaction, owing to their high exposure of active sites and low ionic diffusion resistance.