Li Song: Soft X-ray endstaions at the Hefei Light Source and some applications of XAS

Hefei Light Source (HLS) is the first dedicated synchrotron radiation facility in China with electron ring energy of 0.8 Gev, which is located on the West Campus of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). With the completion of twice constructions and recent upgradation, HLS become a fully upgraded soft X-ray synchrotron radiation facility, now operating ten experimental stations (Infrared Spectroscopy and Microspectroscopy, Combustion and Flame, Mass Spectrometry, Soft X-ray Microscopy, Spectral Radiation Standard and Metrology, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Photoemission Spectroscopy, Catalysis and Surface Science, X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism, Angle-resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy) [1]. The well-designed beamlines and experimental stations at HLS, together with the Shanghai synchrotron Radiation Facility and the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, allow us to perform cutting edge scientific experiments. Here, I will briefly introduce the soft X-ray endstations at HLS, and present our recent studies based on X-ray absorption techniques. In particular, two progress will be discussed: (1) adopt the rational atom-binding strategy and develop the method of precise nano-confined synthesis, subsequently establish the structure-property relationships in several functional nanomaterials anchored with single atoms by combining synchrotron XAS and XPS [2-5]; (2) propose the controllable ion-intercalating and ion-exchanging strategies and develop the method of in-situ reconstructed synthesis, eventually clarify the working mechanism of cation-/anion-modulated functional nanomaterials by the means of operando XAS with synchrotron-on-line devices[6-9].

References:

1. http://en.nsrl.ustc.edu.cn/main.htm
   
2. Atomically dispersed platinum supported on curved carbon supports for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, Nature Energy, 2019, 4:512-518. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-019-0402-6
   
3. Achieving Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction over a Ni5P4 Catalyst Incorporating Single-Atomic Ru Sites, Advanced Materials, 2020, 32:1906972. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201906972
   
4. Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Syngas with Controllable CO/H2 Ratios over Co and Ni Single-Atom Catalysts, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2020, 59:3033-3037. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201912719
   
5. Single Nickel Atoms on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Enabling Enhanced Kinetics of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Advanced Materials, 2019, 31:1903955. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201903955
   
6. Stable Metallic 1T-WS2 Nanoribbons Intercalated with Ammonia Ions: The Correlation between Structure and Electrical/Optical Properties, Advanced Materials, 2015, 27:4837-4844. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201502134
   
7. Atomic Cobalt Covalently Engineered Interlayers for Superior Lithium-Ion Storage, Advanced Materials, 2018, 30:1802 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201802525525.
   
8. Tracking Structural Self-Reconstruction and Identifying True Active Sites toward Cobalt Oxychloride Precatalyst of Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Advanced Materials, 2019, 31:1805127. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201805127
   
9. Atomic Sn4+ Decorated into Vanadium Carbide MXene Interlayers for Superior Lithium Storage, Advanced Energy Materials, 2018, 9:1802977. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201802977