PtMn/PtCo alloy nanofascicles: robust electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction under both acidic and alkaline conditions

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry frontiers Vol. 7; no. 22; pp. 4377 - 4386
• Main Authors: Hu, Jinwu, Fang, Caihong, Jiang, Xiaomin, Zhang, Deliang, Cui, Zhiqing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Royal Society of Chemistry 21.11.2020
• Subjects: Alkalies; Alloys; Electrocatalysts; Hydrogen evolution reactions; Inorganic chemistry; Nanowires; Nyquist plots; Synthesis
• ISSN: 2052-1553; 2052-1545; 2052-1553
• DOI: 10.1039/d0qi00961j

In this study, we synthesized PtM (M = Mn and Co) alloy nanofascicles by a bundle of ultrathin nanowires with a diameter of ∼2.0 nm. Furthermore, the compositions of alloys were tunable. These nanofascicles exhibited significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity due to their alloy nature, ultrathin size, and attractive morphological features. Noticeably, PtM electrocatalysts exhibited superior HER performances not only in the acidic but also in alkaline conditions when the electrocatalysts were deposited on a carbon paper. Pt 8 Co demonstrates the smallest η 10 value of 26.1 mV under acidic conditions, which is significantly lower than that of Pt/C (63.4 mV). Under alkaline conditions, the η 10 of Pt 8 Co is 47.2 mV, which is substantially lower than that of commercial Pt/C (187.9 mV). Pt 6 Mn shows the lower η 10 values of 39.0 and 67.5 mV under acidic and alkaline conditions, respectively. In addition, PtM electrocatalysts exhibit excellent long-term durability under alkaline conditions. Herein, PtMn and PtCo nanofascicles were prepared by ultrathin nanofibers using a versatile method, and can be employed as effective electrocatalysts toward the HER under both acidic and alkaline conditions.