Tailoring a local acid-like microenvironment for efficient neutral hydrogen evolution.
Xiaozhong ZhengXiaoyun ShiHonghui NingRui YangBing LuQian LuoShanjun MaoLingling XiYong WangPublished in: Nature communications (2023)
Electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction in neutral media is listed as the most difficult challenges of energy catalysis due to the sluggish kinetics. Herein, the Ir-H x WO 3 catalyst is readily synthesized and exhibits enhanced performance for neutral hydrogen evolution reaction. H x WO 3 support is functioned as proton sponge to create a local acid-like microenvironment around Ir metal sites by spontaneous injection of protons to WO 3 , as evidenced by spectroscopy and electrochemical analysis. Rationalize revitalized lattice-hydrogen species located in the interface are coupled with H ad atoms on metallic Ir surfaces via thermodynamically favorable Volmer-Tafel steps, and thereby a fast kinetics. Elaborated Ir-H x WO 3 demonstrates acid-like activity with a low overpotential of 20 mV at 10 mA cm -2 and low Tafel slope of 28 mV dec -1 , which are even comparable to those in acidic environment. The concept exemplified in this work offer the possibilities for tailoring local reaction microenvironment to regulate catalytic activity and pathway.