3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks
Efficient water splitting is a major challenge in green hydrogen production and energy transition. Thus, considerable scientific efforts are devoted to optimize surface geometries for enhancing the performance of water-splitting catalysts. The current study aims to develop a reliable and facile 3-st...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Materials & Design |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525002291 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849339430231343104 |
|---|---|
| author | Alexander Jelinek Daniela Neumüller Christoph Gammer Jürgen Eckert Daniel Kiener |
| author_facet | Alexander Jelinek Daniela Neumüller Christoph Gammer Jürgen Eckert Daniel Kiener |
| author_sort | Alexander Jelinek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Efficient water splitting is a major challenge in green hydrogen production and energy transition. Thus, considerable scientific efforts are devoted to optimize surface geometries for enhancing the performance of water-splitting catalysts. The current study aims to develop a reliable and facile 3-step (re-)production technique for manufacturing structured surfaces by combining multi-photon lithography (MPL) and nanoimprint lithography (NIL). MPL enables structuring of high-definition micrometer-scale surface geometries. A variation of these topologies was used as masks for replication by NIL. Thus, molds were derived to emboss the original nanostructured topologies repeatedly into a UV-curable resin. Subsequently, a Ni thin film metallization was deposited by physical vapor deposition onto the final imprinted polymeric structures, thereby realizing topologically structured conductive electrodes. To demonstrate the applicability of this elaborated technique, the catalytic activities towards the hydrogen evolution reaction were assessed for different surface geometries. An increase in catalytic performance was achieved through surface enlargement by structuring, whereby a direct contribution of the specific structure geometry was not evident. This elegant method is highly versatile and scalable for producing a wide range of structured functional surfaces on a lab scale, as demonstrated for the water splitting reaction, with results transferable to an industrial scale. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ccf980d951504946a906ffe6201b5f8e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj-art-ccf980d951504946a906ffe6201b5f8e2025-08-20T03:44:07ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-04-0125211380910.1016/j.matdes.2025.1138093D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masksAlexander Jelinek0Daniela Neumüller1Christoph Gammer2Jürgen Eckert3Daniel Kiener4Department of Materials Science, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austria; Corresponding author.Department of Materials Science, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austria; Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Jahnstraße 12, 8700 Leoben, AustriaErich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Jahnstraße 12, 8700 Leoben, AustriaDepartment of Materials Science, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austria; Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Jahnstraße 12, 8700 Leoben, AustriaDepartment of Materials Science, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, AustriaEfficient water splitting is a major challenge in green hydrogen production and energy transition. Thus, considerable scientific efforts are devoted to optimize surface geometries for enhancing the performance of water-splitting catalysts. The current study aims to develop a reliable and facile 3-step (re-)production technique for manufacturing structured surfaces by combining multi-photon lithography (MPL) and nanoimprint lithography (NIL). MPL enables structuring of high-definition micrometer-scale surface geometries. A variation of these topologies was used as masks for replication by NIL. Thus, molds were derived to emboss the original nanostructured topologies repeatedly into a UV-curable resin. Subsequently, a Ni thin film metallization was deposited by physical vapor deposition onto the final imprinted polymeric structures, thereby realizing topologically structured conductive electrodes. To demonstrate the applicability of this elaborated technique, the catalytic activities towards the hydrogen evolution reaction were assessed for different surface geometries. An increase in catalytic performance was achieved through surface enlargement by structuring, whereby a direct contribution of the specific structure geometry was not evident. This elegant method is highly versatile and scalable for producing a wide range of structured functional surfaces on a lab scale, as demonstrated for the water splitting reaction, with results transferable to an industrial scale.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525002291Multi-photon lithographyNanoimprint lithographyPhysical vapor depositionHydrogen evolution reactionCatalysis |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Jelinek Daniela Neumüller Christoph Gammer Jürgen Eckert Daniel Kiener 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks Materials & Design Multi-photon lithography Nanoimprint lithography Physical vapor deposition Hydrogen evolution reaction Catalysis |
| title | 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks |
| title_full | 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks |
| title_fullStr | 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks |
| title_full_unstemmed | 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks |
| title_short | 3D multi-site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces, structured via multi-photon lithography derived masks |
| title_sort | 3d multi site hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts on nanoimprinted surfaces structured via multi photon lithography derived masks |
| topic | Multi-photon lithography Nanoimprint lithography Physical vapor deposition Hydrogen evolution reaction Catalysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525002291 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexanderjelinek 3dmultisitehydrogenevolutionreactioncatalystsonnanoimprintedsurfacesstructuredviamultiphotonlithographyderivedmasks AT danielaneumuller 3dmultisitehydrogenevolutionreactioncatalystsonnanoimprintedsurfacesstructuredviamultiphotonlithographyderivedmasks AT christophgammer 3dmultisitehydrogenevolutionreactioncatalystsonnanoimprintedsurfacesstructuredviamultiphotonlithographyderivedmasks AT jurgeneckert 3dmultisitehydrogenevolutionreactioncatalystsonnanoimprintedsurfacesstructuredviamultiphotonlithographyderivedmasks AT danielkiener 3dmultisitehydrogenevolutionreactioncatalystsonnanoimprintedsurfacesstructuredviamultiphotonlithographyderivedmasks |