Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2025, Vol. 72: 211-221.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60271-8

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In-situ Pt reduction induced topological transformation of NiFe-MOF for industrial seawater splitting

Guohao Naa,1, Hongshun Zhenga,1, Mingpeng Chena,*(), Huachuan Suna, Yuewen Wua, Dequan Lia, Yun Chena, Boran Zhaoa, Bo Zhaoa, Tong Zhoua, Tianwei Hea, Yuxiao Zhanga, Jianhong Zhaoa, Yumin Zhanga, Jin Zhanga, Feng Liua, Hao Cuia, Qingju Liua,*()   

  1. aYunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials & Technology, National Center for International Research on Photoelectric and Energy Materials, School of Materials and Energy, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China
    bYunnan Precious Metals Laboratory Co., Ltd., Kunming 650106, Yunnan, China
  • Received:2024-12-03 Accepted:2025-02-03 Online:2025-05-18 Published:2025-05-20
  • Contact: *E-mail: mpchen@ynu.edu.cn (M. Chen), qjliu@ynu.edu.cn (Q. Liu).
  • About author:1Contributed equally to this work.
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB3803600);National Natural Science Foundation of China(22368050);National Natural Science Foundation of China(22378346);Key Research and Development Program of Yunnan Province(202302AF080002);Yunnan Basic Applied Research Project(202401AU070229);Yunnan Basic Applied Research Project(202401AT070460);Scientific Research Fund Project of Yunnan Education Department(2024J0013);Scientific Research Fund Project of Yunnan Education Department(2024J0014);Scientific and Technological Project of Yunnan Precious Metals Laboratory(YPML-20240502008);Scientific and Technological Project of Yunnan Precious Metals Laboratory(YPML-2023050259);Scientific and Technological Project of Yunnan Precious Metals Laboratory(YPML-2023050260);Science and Technology Projects of Universities Serving Key Industries in Yunnan Province(FWCY-BSPY2024023);Yunnan Provincial Department of Education Scientific Research Fund-supported project and Yunnan University Graduate Research Innovation Fund-supported project(KC-24248426)

Abstract:

Metal-support interaction (MSI) is regarded as an indispensable manner to stabilize active metals and modulate catalytic activity, which shows great potentials in developing of efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrode with high activity and strong robustness. Herein, this work presents a novel heterostructure with ultrafine platinum quantum dots (Pt QDs) on defective catalytic supports derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). It is indicated substantial oxygen vacancies can be generated and Pt-Pt bonds can be optimized through topological transformation. The resulting Pt/T-NiFe-BDC (BDC: C8H6O4) exhibits competitive HER activity in alkaline seawater, attaining ultralow overpotentials of 158 and 266 mV at 500 and 1000 mA cm-2 with fast kinetics and outstanding stability. An asymmetric water electrolyzer using Pt/T-NiFe-BDC as a cathode only requires a voltage of 1.89 V to generate an industrial density of 1000 mA cm-2 and shows no attenuation in 500-h continuous test at 500 mA cm-2. Theoretical calculations and in-situ spectroscopic analysis reveal the reversible hydrogen spillover mechanism, in which oxygen vacancies facilitate the sluggish water dissociation and Pt QDs promote the H* combination. This study provides a new paradigm to engineer metal-supported catalysts for efficient and robust seawater splitting.

Key words: Seawater splitting, Hydrogen evolution reaction, Topological transformation, Metal support interaction, Reversible hydrogen spillover