Advanced Ultrathin RuPdM (M = Ni, Co, Fe) Nanosheets Electrocatalyst Boosts Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most significant reactions in the electrolysis water process, and electrocatalysts which possess high mass activity and excellent stability are the most important driving factors to improve the efficiency of HER. As for the efficient commercially electrocatalyst, Pt/C is limited in development because of its high cost. Therefore, the study of non-Pt high-efficiency catalysts is particularly important at this moment. Here, we creatively report for the first time a kind of RuPdM (M= Ni, Co, Fe) ultrathin nanosheets (NSs), which exhibit extraordinary electrochemical properties for HER under alkaline conditions. The overpotential of optimized trimetallic Ru38Pd34Ni28 ultrathin NSs is only 20 mV (10 mA cm–2), and the mass activity reaches 6.15 A mg–1noble metal at −0.07 V vs RHE. It can be compared to Pt-based electrocatalysts, which have the highest mass activity currently reported. The durability tests also prove that the stability of the electrocatalyst is outstanding. DFT calculations disclose that the flexible modulation of electronic structures of RuPd ultrathin NSs is achieved by utilizing the additional 3d transition metals Fe, Co, and Ni. In particular, the Ni-3d bands act as the continuous electron-supply center for Ru to ensure an efficient electron transfer toward the adsorbates. Meanwhile, the stable Pd sites are critical for coupling the O-2pπ orbital in the initial H2O splitting with a facile barrier. This work will open up a new era of non-Pt materials for alkaline hydrogen evolution toward practical application.

Electronic Modulation of Non‐van der Waals 2D Electrocatalysts for Efficient Energy Conversion

“…Alloying engineering is another commonly adopted and straightforward method used to manufacture high‐performance electrode materials for electrocatalytic applications, such as the HER, [ 106 ] water splitting, [ 107,108 ] ORR, [ 109 ] formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR), [ 110,111 ] and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). [ 112 ] After alloying with other metals, the electronic structures of electrocatalysts can be modulated by adjusting their compositions, which can enhance electrocatalytic performance.…”

“…Reproduced with permission. [ 106 ] Copyright 2019, American Chemical Society. Further permission related to the material excerpted should be directed to the ACS.…”

“…Zhang et al. [ 106 ] were the first to alloy RuPd with transition metals (Ni, Co, and Fe) to synthesize trimetallic alloy ultrathin NSs as high‐performance alkaline HER catalysts. DFT calculations (Figure 5f) demonstrated that the electronic structure of the RuPd ultrathin NSs was modulated after Ni, Co, or Fe alloying.…”

A New ternary organometallic Pd(ii)/Fe(iii)/Ru(iii) self-assembly monolayer: the essential ensemble synergistic for improving catalytic activity

“…8,16 Ruthenium is one of the cheapest precious metals having broad application prospects, 17,18 and has long been considered as one of the effective components in a catalyst. 19,20 Synergetic effects with dopants for an efficient Pd-based, Fe-based and Ru-based heterogeneous bimetallic catalyst are intensively being investigated. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] If the multimetallic catalyst contains Pd, Fe and Ru or another component, they will show efficient synergism due to the consecutive effect of different active centers in reactions.…”

Hierarchical CoSeS nanostructures assisted by Nb doping for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction

“…Alt-hough the electrocatalytic process is remarkable for its high efficiency and environmental friendliness, it exhibits sluggishness and low efficiency of anode and cathode reactions [8,9]. Therefore, it is imperative to develop green and economical catalysts to improve the efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as much as possible [10].…”