Anti-dissolution Pt single site with Pt(OH)(O₃)/Co(P) coordination for efficient alkaline water splitting...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Platinum is a well-known electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution but is inefficient for oxygen evolution due to over-binding and dissolution.
• Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution is crucial for water splitting technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution using single platinum atoms.
• To investigate the unique coordination and electronic structure of single Pt atoms in cobalt hydrogen phosphate for enhanced catalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of single Pt atoms dispersed in cobalt hydrogen phosphate with a specific Pt(OH)(O3)/Co(P) coordination.
• Electrochemical characterization including turnover frequency and mass activity measurements.
• Mechanistic studies to elucidate the role of electronic coupling and binding energies.

Main Results:

• The catalyst achieved high turnover frequency (35.1 ± 5.2 s⁻¹) and mass activity (69.5 ± 10.3 A mg⁻¹) at 300 mV overpotential.
• Excellent stability was observed, with alkaline water electrolyzers reaching 1 A cm⁻² at 1.8 V with ultralow Pt loading.
• Mechanistic studies revealed optimal binding energies and strong electronic coupling with Co atoms, suppressing Pt dissolution.

Conclusions:

• Single Pt atoms in cobalt hydrogen phosphate demonstrate remarkable catalytic activity and stability for oxygen evolution.
• The unique Pt(OH)(O3)/Co(P) coordination and electronic coupling are key to the enhanced performance.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for developing efficient and durable electrocatalysts for water splitting.