Sowing Single Atom Seeds: A Versatile Strategy for Hyper‐Low Noble Metal Loading to Boost Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Qiqi Li, Qin Zhang, Wenli Xu, Rong Zhao, Min Jiang, Yinhong Gao, Wenda Zhong, Kai Chen, Yongting Chen, Xuanke Li, Nianjun Yang
Abstract
Abstract The universal preparation of noble metal single‐atom catalysts (NMSACs) is critical for efficient sustainable energy conversion. In this study, a versatile sowing strategy is proposed to prepare the NMSACs with hyper‐low loading. A metal‐organic framework derived Ni(OH) x with Ni 2+ vacancies serves as fertile soil with plentiful trapping holes, where the Pt atom seeds can be inserted. The Pt atoms tend to form tetradentate Pt‐O 4 as the roots, confining the loading concentration to a hyper‐low range (≈0.17 wt%). This Pt‐Ni(OH) x catalyst exhibits an overpotential of 58 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 in 1 m KOH for hydrogen evolution reaction and needs only 1.47 V to achieve η 10 for water splitting. This approach is extended to the formation of other NMSACs such as Ir and Ru. The versatile sowing strategy thus provides guidance to prepare different NMSACs with excellent catalytic performance.