Intermetallic Cu5Zr Clusters Anchored on Hierarchical Nanoporous Copper as Efficient Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Hang Shi,
Yi-Tong Zhou,
Rui-Qi Yao,
Wu-Bin Wan,
Qing-Hua Zhang,
Lin Gu,
Zi Wen,
Xing-You Lang,
Qing Jiang
Affiliations
Hang Shi
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Yi-Tong Zhou
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Rui-Qi Yao
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Wu-Bin Wan
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Qing-Hua Zhang
Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, The Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Lin Gu
Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, The Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Zi Wen
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Xing-You Lang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Qing Jiang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Designing highly active and robust platinum-free electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction is vital for large-scale and efficient production of hydrogen through electrochemical water splitting. Here, we report nonprecious intermetallic Cu5Zr clusters that are in situ anchored on hierarchical nanoporous copper (NP Cu/Cu5Zr) for efficient hydrogen evolution in alkaline medium. By virtue of hydroxygenated zirconium atoms activating their nearby Cu-Cu bridge sites with appropriate hydrogen-binding energy, the Cu5Zr clusters have a high electrocatalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction. Associated with unique architecture featured with steady and bicontinuous nanoporous copper skeleton that facilitates electron transfer and electrolyte accessibility, the self-supported monolithic NP Cu/Cu5Zr electrodes boost violent hydrogen gas release, realizing ultrahigh current density of 500 mA cm-2 at a low potential of -280 mV versus reversible hydrogen electrode, with exceptional stability in 1 M KOH solution. The electrochemical properties outperform those of state-of-the-art nonprecious metal electrocatalysts and make them promising candidates as electrodes in water splitting devices.