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Modulating Pt-O-Pt atomic clusters with isolated cobalt atoms for enhanced hydrogen evolution catalysis.
Yufei Zhao1, Priyank V Kumar1, Xin Tan2
1Particles and Catalysis Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Researchers developed platinum atomic clusters (Pt ACs) on cobalt-nitrogen co-doped carbon to boost the hydrogen evolution reaction. This catalyst shows superior efficiency and lower overpotential, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional platinum catalysts for clean energy applications.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Platinum is a highly effective catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media.
- The high cost and scarcity of platinum limit its widespread application in catalysis.
- Developing efficient and cost-effective alternatives to platinum-based catalysts is crucial for advancing electrocatalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel platinum atomic clusters (Pt ACs) supported on cobalt-nitrogen co-doped carbon (CoNC).
- To investigate the electrocatalytic performance of Pt ACs/CoNC for the hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic conditions.
- To elucidate the structure-activity relationship governing the enhanced catalytic performance.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Pt ACs anchored to single Co atoms on CoNC support.
- Electrochemical characterization, including overpotential and mass activity measurements for HER.
- Spectroscopic analysis and computational modeling to understand the electronic structure and catalytic mechanism.
Main Results:
- Pt ACs/CoNC demonstrated an exceptionally low overpotential of 24 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² for HER.
- Achieved a high mass activity of 28.6 A mg⁻¹ at 50 mV, over six times greater than commercial Pt/C.
- Spectroscopic and computational studies revealed charge redistribution in Pt-O-Pt units, optimizing active sites.
Conclusions:
- The developed Pt ACs/CoNC catalyst significantly enhances hydrogen generation activity.
- The synergistic effect between Pt atoms and O linkers in Pt-O-Pt units is key to the improved performance.
- This approach provides a new strategy for designing advanced noble-metal atomic cluster catalysts for electrocatalysis.
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