Interface Engineering-Inspired Electron Regulation in Pt/Pd Hetero-Metallene for Methanol-Assisted Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

The small molecule oxidation reaction instead of oxygen evolution reaction coupled with hydrogen evolution reaction can greatly reduce the reaction overpotential of electrochemical water splitting, which is a very efficient and energy-saving hydrogen evolution strategy. Herein, we report an interface engineering constructed two-dimensional ultrathin curled Pt/Pd hetero-metallene for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution assisted by methanol. The thin-sheet structure of Pt/Pd hetero-metallene provides a large specific surface area and exposes numerous surface atoms that could act as reactive sites, thus accelerating the reaction mass transfer process. More importantly, the constructed Pt/Pd hetero-metallene possesses abundant Pt/Pd heterointerface, which can maximize the strong metal-metal interaction and increase the utilization of metal atoms, thereby optimizing the adsorption and activation of reactants during the reaction. Pt/Pd hetero-metallene can produce hydrogen stably and efficiently in 1 M KOH + 1 M CH3OH, and the voltage only needs 0.83 V at @100 mA cm-2 when used in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, which is much lower than the voltage required for the traditional electrochemical water splitting process (1.94 V). This work not only provides a powerful approach to rational design and construction of hetero-metallene through interface engineering, but also builds a bridge between hetero-metallene and methanol-assisted hydrogen evolution.