Engineering the electronic structure of sub-nanometric Ru clusters via Pt single-atom modification for highly...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for hydrogen fuel generation.
• Current platinum-based catalysts are expensive and perform poorly in non-acidic media.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an environmentally friendly and pyrolysis-free synthesis strategy for an efficient HER electrocatalyst.
• To engineer a catalyst with high activity across all pH conditions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a novel catalyst: CNT-NPA-PtRu, featuring Pt single-atoms on sub-nanometric Ru clusters anchored at phytic acid-modified carbon nanotubes.
• Investigated the catalyst's performance in alkaline, acidic, and neutral electrolytes.
• Utilized experimental results and theoretical calculations to understand the catalytic mechanism.

Main Results:

• The CNT-NPA-PtRu catalyst demonstrated superior HER performance with low overpotentials (18.3 mV alkaline, 18.7 mV acidic, 15 mV neutral) to reach 10 mA cm⁻².
• The single Pt atom modulated the electronic structure of Ru clusters, optimizing reaction intermediate adsorption.
• Achieved high catalytic activity in diverse pH environments.

Conclusions:

• The study presents an effective approach for synthesizing high-performance electrocatalysts for HER.
• Engineering the electronic structure of sub-nanometric clusters is key to enhancing catalytic activity.
• The developed catalyst offers a promising alternative for sustainable hydrogen fuel production.