Long-range Pt-Ni dual sites boost hydrogen evolution through optimizing the adsorption configuration

Elaborated design of catalytic systems with a specifically tailored site distance to match the intermediates could substantially improve reaction kinetics and boost catalytic activity under unfavorable reaction conditions. Considering the lower energy barriers of water splitting upon the synergy of dual sites, constructing synergistic Pt-M (M: transition metal) dual sites is an effective way to boost Pt with highly catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. An unconventional “Ni(OH)₂-coated high-index Pt facets” was constructed to obtain long-range Pt-Ni dual sites, in which Ni composition as a water dissociation synergistic site can protect Pt from electrolyte corrosion and ensure efficient proton donation to Pt sites. The obtained long-range Pt-Ni dual sites present 3.84 mA·cm⁻¹ of current density, which is 7.5 times specific activity higher than that of commercial Pt/C towards alkaline HER. The enhanced HER performance is attributed to synergistic catalysis on Pt-Ni dual sites accompanied by unconventional electron coupling. This work illustrates a new strategy to construct the long-range dual sites by unconventional strategy for fundamental electrocatalytic study of alkaline HER.