Nanoporous Gold-Based Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion

Herein, the promising world of nanoporous gold (NPG) as an electrode material for energy storage and conversion is reviewed. NPG has excellent conductivity and a porous structure, providing a huge active surface area for deposition of transition metal atoms and electrochemically active materials. Moreover, NPG materials display high intrinsic activity because of their crystallographic structural defects to catalyze hosts of electrochemical reactions, considered pertinent in clean energy technologies. Therefore, taking into account their superior specific and mass activity, they provide a versatile platform for developing high-performance catalysts for oxidation and reduction reactions, supercapacitors, and battery-type electrode materials for the assembly of high density electric energy storage devices. Initially, a full overview of the strategies used to build NPG structures and incorporate other metallic elements in the pore walls is presented. Afterward, the water-splitting parameters and performance of NPG catalysts for hydrogen generation are reviewed. Next, the possibility of using such porous materials as fuel cell electrodes is discussed. In short, the most recent advancements in the field paving the way for the preparation of advanced electrode materials meeting the most stringent requirements are reviewed, demonstrating the bright perspectives for innovation in the key area of energy conversion and storage.