Improved high-current-density hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics on single-atom Co embedded in an order pore-structured nitrogen assembly carbon support

Abstract

Single-atom catalysis is a subcategory of heterogeneous catalysis with well-defined active sites. Numerous endeavors have been devoted to developing single-atom catalysts for industrially applicable catalysis, including the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). High-current-density electrolyzers have been pursued for single-atom catalysts to increase active-site density and enhance mass transfer. Here, we reasoned that a single-atom metal embedded in nitrogen assembly carbon (NAC) catalysts with high single-atom density, large surface area, and ordered mesoporosity, could fulfil an industrially applicable HER. Among several different single-atom catalysts, the HER overpotential with the best performing Co-NAC reached a current density of 200 mA cm−2 at 310 mV, which is relevant to industrially applicable current density. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested feasible hydrogen binding on single-atom Co resulted in the promising HER activity over Co-NAC. The best-performing Co-NAC showed robust performance under alkaline conditions at a current density of 50 mA cm−2 for 20 h in an H-cell and at a current density of 150 mA cm−2 for 100 h in a flow cell.

Graphical abstract: Improved high-current-density hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics on single-atom Co embedded in an order pore-structured nitrogen assembly carbon support

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
22 Jun 2024
Accepted
02 Sep 2024
First published
10 Sep 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Horiz., 2024, Advance Article

Improved high-current-density hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics on single-atom Co embedded in an order pore-structured nitrogen assembly carbon support

J. Yu, Y. Yan, Y. Lin, H. Liu, Y. Li, S. Xie, S. Sun, F. Liu, Z. Zhang, W. Li, J. Oh, L. Zhou, L. Qi, B. Wang and W. Huang, Nanoscale Horiz., 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4NH00299G

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