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A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions
Published on: August 17, 2016
Surface Single Atom Alloys for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Li Xu1,2, Yanping Xu3, Bin Xia4
1State Key Laboratory of Fluorine & Nitrogen Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
Surface single atom alloys (SSAAs) integrate single atom catalysts and single atom alloys. The new Pt1-MoL-Mo2C SSAAs show enhanced alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance, offering insights for advanced single-site catalyst design.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Single atom catalysts (SACs) offer 100% metal atom utilization and support effects.
- Single atom alloys (SAAs) possess free-atom-like electronic structures due to metallic bonds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop surface single atom alloys (SSAAs) combining advantages of SACs and SAAs.
- To investigate the structure and catalytic properties of Pt1-MoL-Mo2C SSAAs for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of SSAAs by incorporating an ultrathin metallic layer.
- Characterization using comprehensive spectroscopic techniques.
- Theoretical calculations to elucidate electronic structure and reaction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Pt single atoms preferentially coordinated with a metallic Mo nanolayer, forming Pt1-MoL surface alloys on Mo2C.
- The Mo nanolayer acted as an electron buffer, creating a free-atom-like d state at Pt1 sites.
- Enhanced aggregation, adsorption, and activation of H2O were observed.
- Pt1-MoL-Mo2C SSAAs demonstrated superior alkaline HER performance over Pt1/Mo2C SACs, with a 12 mV overpotential and 17 mV dec−1 Tafel slope.
Conclusions:
- SSAAs effectively integrate the benefits of SACs and SAAs.
- The designed SSAAs exhibit excellent HER activity in alkaline media.
- This work offers novel strategies for designing advanced single-site catalysts.
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