High‐Entropy Materials in Electrocatalysis: Understanding, Design, and Development

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2024-10, Vol.20 (43), p.e2403162-n/a
• Main Authors: Wu, Jiwen, Wang, Huichao, Liu, Naiyan, Jia, Binbin, Zheng, Jinlong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Density functional theory; Electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Energy conversion; Energy distribution; Entropy; Flux density; high‐entropy materials; Solid phase synthesis; Synergistic effect; synthesis method
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403162

Electrocatalysis is a crucial method for achieving global carbon neutrality, serving as an essential means of energy conversion, and electrocatalyst is crucial in the process of electrocatalysis. Because of the abundant active sites, the multi‐component synergistic effect of high‐entropy materials has a wide application prospect in the field of electrocatalysis. Moreover, due to the special structure of high‐entropy materials, it is possible to obtain almost continuous adsorption energy distribution by regulating the composition, which has attracted extensive attention of researchers. This paper reviews the properties and types of high‐entropy materials, including alloys and compounds. The synthesis strategies of high‐entropy materials are systematically introduced, and the solid phase synthesis, liquid‐phase synthesis, and gas‐phase synthesis are classified and summarized. The application of high‐entropy materials in electrocatalysis is summarized, and the promotion effect of high‐entropy strategy in various catalytic reaction processes is summarized. Finally, the current progress of high‐entropy materials, the problems encountered, and the future development direction are reviewed. It is emphasized that the strategy of high flux density functional theory calculation guiding high‐entropy catalyst design will be of great significance to electrocatalysis. High entropy materials are widely used in electrocatalysis due to the synergistic effect of many components. This review provides a detailed overview of the properties and types, synthesis strategies, and applications in electrocatalysis of high‐entropy materials. Finally, the progress, challenges, and opportunities of high entropy materials in electrocatalysis are summarized.