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Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Single-Atom Pt Doped in Ni Matrix under Strong Alkaline Condition
Xiurui An1,2, Ting-Ting Yao1,2, Yang Liu1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023 Dalian, China.
Platinum single-atom catalysts (Ni-Pt(SAs)) show excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in alkaline media. This atomically dispersed platinum in nickel enhances catalytic kinetics and hydrogen production at high current densities.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Platinum (Pt) is the benchmark catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media.
- The catalytic kinetics of Pt for HER in alkaline conditions remain poorly understood.
- Understanding HER catalysis in alkaline environments is crucial for efficient hydrogen production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the HER performance of atomically dispersed Pt in a Ni matrix (Ni-Pt(SAs)) under strong alkaline conditions.
- To compare the catalytic kinetics and efficiency of Ni-Pt(SAs) with Pt nanoparticle-modified Ni (Ni-Pt(NPs)).
- To elucidate the mechanism behind the enhanced HER activity of Ni-Pt(SAs) using theoretical calculations.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Ni-Pt(SAs) catalyst with atomically dispersed Pt in a Ni matrix.
- Electrochemical evaluation of HER performance in a 7 M KOH electrolyte.
- Kinetics analysis to understand reaction mechanisms.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate adsorption energies and reaction pathways.
Main Results:
- Ni-Pt(SAs) exhibited superior HER performance, achieving an overpotential of 210 mV at 500 mA cm⁻² in 7 M KOH.
- Ni-Pt(SAs) demonstrated significantly better HER kinetics at high current densities compared to Ni-Pt(NPs).
- Theoretical calculations indicated that atomically dispersed Pt weakens H and OH adsorption and promotes H₂ formation on the Ni-Pt surface.
Conclusions:
- Atomically dispersed Pt in a Ni matrix (Ni-Pt(SAs)) is a highly effective catalyst for HER in strong alkaline electrolytes.
- The enhanced performance is attributed to accelerated Volmer step kinetics and favorable H₂ formation pathways.
- Ni-Pt(SAs) offers a promising alternative to traditional Pt nanoparticle catalysts for alkaline HER applications.
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