Boosted hydrogen evolution kinetics of heteroatom-doped carbons with isolated Zn as an accelerant.

ABSTRACT: Carbon-based single-atom catalysts, a promising candidate in electrocatalysis, offer insights into electron-donating effects of metal center on adjacent atoms. Herein, we present a practical strategy to rationally design a model catalyst with a single zinc (Zn) atom coordinated with nitrogen and sulfur atoms in a multilevel carbon matrix. The Zn site exhibits an atomic interface configuration of ZnN₄S₁, where Zn's electron injection effect enables thermal-neutral hydrogen adsorption on neighboring atoms, pushing the activity boundaries of carbon electrocatalysts toward electrochemical hydrogen evolution to an unprecedented level. Experimental and theoretical analyses confirm the low-barrier Volmer-Tafel mechanism of proton reduction, while the multishell hollow struct

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10835066 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature