Engineering a local acid-like environment in alkaline medium for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction.

ABSTRACT: Tuning the local reaction environment is an important and challenging issue for determining electrochemical performances. Herein, we propose a strategy of intentionally engineering the local reaction environment to yield highly active catalysts. Taking Pt^δ- nanoparticles supported on oxygen vacancy enriched MgO nanosheets as a prototypical example, we have successfully created a local acid-like environment in the alkaline medium and achieve excellent hydrogen evolution reaction performances. The local acid-like environment is evidenced by operando Raman, synchrotron radiation infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopy that observes a key H₃O⁺ intermediate emergence on the surface of MgO and accumulation around Pt^δ- sites during electrocatalysis.

SUBMITTER: Tan H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9019087 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature