TY - JOUR
T1 - A universal synthesis strategy for single atom dispersed cobalt/metal clusters heterostructure boosting hydrogen evolution catalysis at all pH values
AU - Yuan, Shuai
AU - Pu, Zonghua
AU - Zhou, Huang
AU - Yu, Jun
AU - Amiinu, Ibrahim Saana
AU - Zhu, Jiawei
AU - Liang, Qirui
AU - Yang, Jinlong
AU - He, Daping
AU - Hu, Zhiyi
AU - Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf
AU - Mu, Shichun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/5
Y1 - 2019/5
N2 - The development of a stable, efficient and economic catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of water splitting is one of the most hopeful approaches to confront the environmental and energy crisis. A two-step method is employed to obtain metal clusters (Ru, Pt, Pd etc.) combining single cobalt atoms anchored on nitrogen-doped carbon (Ru/Pt/Pd@Co-SAs/N-C). Based on the synergistic effect between Ru clusters and single cobalt atoms, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C exhibits an outstanding HER electrocatalytic activity. Specifically, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C only needs 7 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm -2 in 1 M KOH solution, which is much better than commercial 20 wt% Pt/C (40 mV) catalyst. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal the synergy effect between surface Ru nanoclusters and Co-SAs/N-C toward hydrogen adsorption for HER. Additionally, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C also exhibits excellent catalytic ability and durability under acidic and neutral media. The present study opens a new avenue towards the design of metal clusters/single cobalt atoms heterostructures with outstanding performance toward HER and beyond.
AB - The development of a stable, efficient and economic catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of water splitting is one of the most hopeful approaches to confront the environmental and energy crisis. A two-step method is employed to obtain metal clusters (Ru, Pt, Pd etc.) combining single cobalt atoms anchored on nitrogen-doped carbon (Ru/Pt/Pd@Co-SAs/N-C). Based on the synergistic effect between Ru clusters and single cobalt atoms, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C exhibits an outstanding HER electrocatalytic activity. Specifically, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C only needs 7 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm -2 in 1 M KOH solution, which is much better than commercial 20 wt% Pt/C (40 mV) catalyst. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal the synergy effect between surface Ru nanoclusters and Co-SAs/N-C toward hydrogen adsorption for HER. Additionally, Ru@Co-SAs/N-C also exhibits excellent catalytic ability and durability under acidic and neutral media. The present study opens a new avenue towards the design of metal clusters/single cobalt atoms heterostructures with outstanding performance toward HER and beyond.
KW - Co single atoms
KW - Hydrogen evolution reaction
KW - Metal clusters
KW - Metal–organic frameworks
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85062337186
U2 - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.02.062
DO - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.02.062
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85062337186
SN - 2211-2855
VL - 59
SP - 472
EP - 480
JO - Nano Energy
JF - Nano Energy
ER -
