title: Unveiling the Mechanisms Leading to H2 Production Promoted by Water Decomposition on Epitaxial Graphene at Room Temperature.
abstract: By means of a combination of surface-science spectroscopies and theory, we investigate the mechanisms ruling the catalytic role of epitaxial graphene (Gr) grown on transition-metal substrates for the production of hydrogen from water. Water decomposition at the Gr/metal interface at room temperature provides a hydrogenated Gr sheet, which is buckled and decoupled from the metal substrate. We evaluate the performance of Gr/metal interface as a hydrogen storage medium, with a storage density in the Gr sheet comparable with state-of-the-art materials (1.42 wt %). Moreover, thermal programmed reaction experiments show that molecular hydrogen can be released upon heating the water-exposed Gr/metal interface above 400 K. The Gr hydro/dehydrogenation process might be exploited for an effective and eco-friendly device to produce (and store) hydrogen from water, i.e., starting from an almost unlimited source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Calabria , via ponte Bucci, 31/C, I-87036 Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Politano
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM Research Unit, University of Padova , via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cattelan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University , 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, South Korea.|Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics Department, Ural Federal University , Mira Street 19, 620002 Ekaterinburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Danil W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Boukhvalov
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca , via R. Cozzi 55, I-20125 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Calabria , via ponte Bucci, 31/C, I-87036 Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cupolillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM Research Unit, University of Padova , via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agnoli
authors.affiliation: Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. , SS 14, km 163.5, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoleta G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Apostol
authors.affiliation: Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. , SS 14, km 163.5, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lacovig
authors.affiliation: Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. , SS 14, km 163.5, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lizzit
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada & Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales "Nicolás Cabrera" & Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farías
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Calabria , via ponte Bucci, 31/C, I-87036 Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiarello
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM Research Unit, University of Padova , via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Granozzi
authors.affiliation: CNR, Institute for Complex Systems , via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larciprete
keywords: graphene; hydrogen production; hydrogen storage; water