A NiRu@N–C hybrid is fabricated and tested as an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in a wide pH range.

A one-step method is developed for the fabrication of PtPdCu tripods with branched exteriors for the oxygen reduction reaction.

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As a promising alternative approach to industrial N2 fixation process, electrocatalytic N2 reduction reaction (NRR) can achieve efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly ammonia production under ambient conditions. Developing efficient NRR catalysts is critical for the electrochemical ammonia synthesis. Herein, self-supported mesoporous Au3Pd film on Ni foam (mAu3Pd/NF) has been in situ synthesized via a micelle-assisted replacement strategy. Combination of bimetallic compositions, interconnected mesoporous structure, and binder-free characteristic, the mAu3Pd/NF shows a superior NRR performance in 0.1 M Na2SO4. This micelle-assisted replacement route is very important to construct efficient self-supporting mesoporous films for the NRR and other fields.

A one-step method is proposed for the fabrication of PdCuAu nanothorn assemblies as an efficient catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Direct synthesis of superlong Pt|Te mesoporous nanotubes in an aqueous solution.

The nanoarchitectonics design is very important for tuning the catalytic performance of the Pt-based catalysts. Herein, mesoporous Pt cage-bell nanostructures (Pt@mPt CBNs) are newly designed by a facile synthetic approach. The unique Pt@mPt CBNs are assembled by a mesoporous Pt nanocage with a Pt nanoparticle inside. Benefiting from its mesoporous cage-bell nanoarchitectonics, the Pt@mPt CBNs exhibit superior catalytic activity and durability for the oxygen reduction reaction. The present Pt nanoarchitectonics rationally integrates the structural advantages of mesoporous nanocages and nanoparticles, which is highly valuable for the design of Pt-based catalysts with desired performance.

Design of highly active and cost-effective electrocatalysts is very important for the generation of hydrogen by electrochemical water-splitting. Herein, we report the fabrication of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulating CoRu bimetallic nanoparticles (CoRu@NCs) and demonstrate their promising feasibility for efficiently catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over a wide pH range. The resultant CoRu@NC nanohybrids possess an alloy-carbon core-shell structure with encapsulated low-ruthenium-content CoRu bimetallic alloy nanoparticles (10-30 nm) as the core and ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon layers (2-6 layers) as the shell. Remarkably, the optimized catalyst (CoRu@NC-2 sample) with a Ru content as low as 2.04 wt% shows superior catalytic activity and excellent durability for HER in acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions. This work offers a new method for the design and synthesis of non-platium-based electrocatalysts for HER in all-pH.