Chemically modified ribbon edge stimulated H2 dissociation: a first-principles computational study

First-principles computational studies indicate that (B, N, or O)-doped graphene ribbon edges can substantially reduce the energy barrier for H 2 dissociative adsorption. The low barrier is competitive with many widely used metal or metal oxide catalysts. This suggests that suitably functionalized graphene architectures are promising metal-free alternatives for low-cost catalytic processes. © 2013 the Owner Societies.