Dual d-p hybridization in Ternary PtGaGe Enables Concurrent Activity and Stability Enhancement for Alkaline Oxygen...

The activity-stability trade-off in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) fundamentally limits the practical development of Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) and fuel cells. Here, we address this long-standing challenge through spatial electronic engineering that enables dual d-p orbital hybridization within a Pt-based ternary alloy. The resulting PtGaGe catalyst exhibits exceptional alkaline ORR performance, achieving a mass activity of 1.79 A·mg_Pt ^-1 and a half-wave potential of 0.90 V (vs. RHE)-both surpassing commercial Pt/C and most previously reported Pt-based catalysts. When integrated into a ZAB, it reaches a peak power density of 207.6 mW·cm^-2 and maintains steady operation for over 200 h at 10 mA·cm^-2, highlighting outstanding durability under practical operating conditions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that dual d-p hybridization induces spatial electron redistribution between Pt and Ga/Ge sites, modulating the Pt d-band center and facilitating O─O bond activation while suppressing catalyst degradation. This synergistic electronic regulation simultaneously improves catalytic activity, stability, and Pt utilization efficiency. This work establishes a mechanistic paradigm for electronic-structure engineering in high-performance ORR electrocatalysts.