Synergistic effect of nano-Pt and Ni spine for HER in alkaline solution: hydrogen spillover from nano-Pt to Ni spine

The design of active, stable, and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the H(2) evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline conditions is important for electrochemical systems such as the chloro-alkaline process and H(2) production. Here we report catalysts comprising Pt on Ni single crystalline spines (Pt/Ni-SP) with high activity and stability for HER in alkaline solution with proposed mechanism. The Pt/Ni-SP catalysts are prepared by dispersing platinum nanoparticles (1.7–3.1 nm) on the single-crystalline spines (Ni-SP) of Ni urchin-like particles. The size and coverage of Pt nanoparticles on Ni-SP are increased with increases in the Pt loading amount. X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy are performed to observe the structure of the Pt/Ni-SP catalyst. The catalysts achieve the mass activity of 1.11 A mg(−1)((Pt)), comparing favorably to Pt/C catalysts with the mass activity of 0.33 A mg(−1)((Pt)) at 0.05 V overpotential. The Tafel slope of the Pt/Ni-SP catalyst is approximately 30 mV dec(−1), similar to that of Pt, while Pt/Ni-SP is very stable in alkaline solution, like Ni. The synergistic effect of Pt/Ni-SP is ascribed to H spillover from Pt to Ni.