Coupling Hydrogen Spillover at Synergistic PtNi/NiInOx Interfaces with Urea Oxidation for Enhancing Water Splitting
Changwu Wan1,2, Shuangshuang Zuo1,2, Fan Meng3
1State Key Laboratory of Coking Coal Resources Green Exploitation, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|April 1, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel PtNi-B3/Ni5In1Ox catalyst for efficient hydrogen production via hydrogen spillover. The catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance and stability in various conditions, paving the way for industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Hydrogen spillover is a key strategy for enhancing electrocatalytic hydrogen production.
- Designing effective spillover catalysts requires careful control of material properties and interfacial interactions.
- Bimetallic NiIn layered double hydroxides (LDH) offer a promising support structure for catalyst development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel catalyst utilizing hydrogen spillover for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen production.
- To investigate the mechanism of hydrogen adsorption, transfer, and desorption at the catalyst interface.
- To evaluate the performance and stability of the synthesized catalyst under various industrially relevant conditions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Pt-doped NiIn LDH followed by reduction with NaBH4 to form PtNi-B3/Ni5In1Ox.
- Electrocatalytic testing for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) and Urea Oxidation Reaction (UOR).
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the electronic structure and hydrogen transfer mechanism.
Main Results:
- The PtNi-B3/Ni5In1Ox catalyst achieved an ultra-low HER overpotential of 13 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and maintained stability for over 188 hours at 100 mA cm⁻².
- DFT calculations confirmed enhanced H* transfer from Pt-Ni alloy to NiInOx support due to work function matching.
- Coupling HER with UOR demonstrated a low potential of 1.425 V at 50 mA cm⁻² with near 100% Faradaic efficiency.
Conclusions:
- The PtNi-B3/Ni5In1Ox catalyst effectively utilizes hydrogen spillover for superior HER performance.
- The catalyst exhibits excellent stability and versatility in simulated seawater and industrial conditions.
- This catalyst shows significant potential for large-scale hydrogen production and energy conversion applications.
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