Subnanometer high-entropy alloy nanowires enable remarkable hydrogen oxidation catalysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• High-entropy alloys (HEAs) offer unique properties but precise atomic-level control remains challenging.
• Developing efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is crucial for clean energy technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize unique high-entropy alloy (HEA) subnanometer nanowires (SNWs).
• To evaluate the performance of HEA SNWs as electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of PtRuNiCoFeMo HEA subnanometer nanowires (SNWs).
• Electrochemical testing for HOR activity and CO poisoning resistance.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to understand catalytic mechanisms.

Main Results:

• HEA SNWs/C demonstrated significantly higher mass and specific activities compared to HEA nanoparticles/C, commercial PtRu/C, and Pt/C.
• The synthesized HEA SNWs exhibited enhanced resistance to CO poisoning during HOR.
• DFT calculations revealed that inter-site interactions in HEA SNWs regulate binding strengths, boosting HOR activity.

Conclusions:

• A viable synthetic route for Pt-based HEA subnano/nano materials was established.
• The study promotes fundamental research in catalysis, particularly for hydrogen oxidation reactions.
• Pt-based HEA SNWs represent a promising class of materials for electrochemical applications.