Pt-Quantum-Dot-Modified Sulfur-Doped NiFe Layered Double Hydroxide for High-Current-Density Alkaline Water Splitting at Industrial Temperature.

ABSTRACT

Suitable electrocatalysts for industrial water splitting can veritably promote practical hydrogen applications. Rational surface design is exceptionally significant for electrocatalysts to bridge the gap between fundamental science and industrial expectation in water splitting. Here, Pt-quantum-dot-modified sulfur-doped NiFe layered double hydroxides (Pt@S-NiFe LDHs) are designed with eximious catalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under industrial condition. Benefiting from enhanced binding energy, mass transfer, and hydrogen release, Pt@S-NiFe LDHs exhibit outstanding activity in HER at high current densities. Notably, it obtains an impressively low overpotential of 71 mV and long-term stability of 200 h at 100 mA cm-2 , exceeding commercial 40% Pt/C and most reported Pt-based electrocatalysts. Its mass activity is 2.7 times higher than that of 40% Pt/C with an overpotential of 100 mV. Furthermore, at industrial temperature (65 °C), the electrolyzer based on Pt@S-NiFe LDH needs just 1.62 V to reach the current density of 100 mA cm-2 , superior to that of the commercial one of 40% Pt/C//IrO2 . This work provides rational ideas to develop electrocatalysts with exceptional performance for industrial high-temperature water splitting at high current densities.