Tunable Pt–NiO interaction-induced efficient electrocatalytic water oxidation and methanol oxidation

Abstract

Metal–support interaction engineering is considered an efficient strategy for optimizing the catalytic activity. Nevertheless, the fine regulation of metal–support interactions as well as understanding the corresponding catalytic mechanisms (particularly those of non-carbon support-based counterparts) remains challenging. Herein, a controllable adsorption–impregnation strategy was proposed for the preparation of a porous nonlayered 2D NiO nanoflake support anchored with different forms of Pt nanoarchitectures, i.e. single atoms, clusters and nanoparticles. Benefiting from the unique porous architecture of NiO nanosheets, abundant active defect sites facilitated the immobilization of Pt single atoms onto the NiO crystal, resulting in NiO lattice distortion and thus changing the valence state of Pt, chemical bonding, and the coordination environment of the metal center. The synergy of the porous NiO support and the unexpected Pt single atom–NiO interactions effectively accelerated mass transfer and reduced the reaction kinetic barriers, contributing to a significantly enhanced mass activity of 5.59 A mg_Pt⁻¹ at an overpotential of 0.274 V toward the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) while 0.42 A mg_Pt⁻¹ at a potential of 0.7 V vs. RHE for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in an alkaline system, respectively. This work may offer fundamental guidance for developing metal–loaded/dispersed support nanomaterials toward electrocatalysis through the fine regulation of metal–support interactions.