Tuning the Electronic Properties of Platinum in Hybrid‐Nanoparticle Assemblies for use in Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Platinum is the best electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we demonstrate that by contact electrification of Pt nanoparticle satellites on a gold or silver core, the Fermi level of Pt can be tuned. The electronic properties of Pt in such hybrid nanocatalysts were experimentally characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and surfaceenhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with the probe molecule 2,6-dimethyl phenyl isocyanide (2,6-DMPI). Our experimental findings are corroborated by a hybridization model and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Finally, we demonstrate that tuning of the Fermi level of Pt results in reduced or increased overpotentials in water splitting.

Sub-Monolayer SbOx on PtPb/Pt Nanoplate Boosts Direct Formic Acid Oxidation Catalysis

“…Based on the content analysis for surface Pt, the Pt 0 content of PtPb/Pt@sub-SbO x NPs/C (∼65.3%) was much higher than that of PtPb/Pt NPs/C (∼33.5%), indicating that the shell produced more free Pt active sites to further enhance the FAOR activity (Figure d) . Hence, we can conclude that the sub-monolayer SbO x on the surface generates more free active sites, simultaneously, the change of surface electronic structure promotes the proton binding and dehydrogenation process, , resulting in the highest FAOR performance of PtPb/Pt@sub-SbO x NPs/C.…”