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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Ammonia mediated electrostatic adsorption synthesis of paired subnanoclusters with enhanced hydrogen oxidation
Xinwei Li1,2, Xin Zhang1, Changhong Zhan3
1Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China.
Abstract:
Sub-nanoclusters (sub-NCs) hold promise for the alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction yet struggle with precise atomic dispersion and structural stability. Here, we report an ammonia-mediated electrostatic adsorption strategy that enables the synthesis of tunable paired metal-metal oxide sub-NCs, exemplified by PtSARuRh-MOx (SA represents single-atom sites, M = Cr, Mo, V, Ti, Ta, Zr). Electrostatic interactions between cationic PtRuRhδ+ and oxo-/fluoro-anions (e.g., CrO42-, MoO42-, VO3-, TiF62-, TaF72- and ZrF62-) control phase pairing during pyrolysis. The optimized PtSARuRh-CrOx demonstrates competitive mass activity (13.81 A mg-1, 58-fold that of commercial Pt/C) and delivers a peak power density of 1.43 W cm-2 in an alkaline membrane fuel cell, with stable operation exceeding 200 h. In situ spectroscopy and simulations reveal that the synergistic Ru/Rh sites, electronically modulated by the paired CrOx, collectively optimize H*/OH* adsorption and weaken CO* binding. This work establishes a generalizable synthetic route for the precise construction of paired sub-NCs for advanced energy conversion applications.
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