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Understanding the oxophilic effect on the hydrogen electrode reaction through PtM nanostructures

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Abstract

Carbon-supported PtM nanostructured materials (M = Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Y, Sm, Gd) were investigated for the hydrogen evolution/oxidation reactions (HER/HOR) in alkaline medium. All catalysts were synthesized by the carbonyl complex chemical route. Among PtM, Cr, Co, Ni, and Cu formed nanoalloys. M2O3 was generated with Y, Sm, and Gd, and Mo was found at a dopant concentration of Pt. The electrochemical results showed that the HER/HOR activities on PtNi/C and PtCo/C outperformed that of the Pt/C benchmark. The presence of OHads species, acting as a bifunctional mechanism, favored the HER/HOR activity on PtNi/C and PtCo/C. This process is concomitant with early DFT studies that concluded that the presence of OHads weakens the Hads and H2Oads energetics.

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Acknowledgments

Prof. N Alonso-Vante gratefully acknowledges the contributions of his former collaborators: Dr. Y. Luo, Dr. E. Favry, and Prof. H. Yang quoted in the reference list.

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The study is financially supported by the European Union (ERDF), “Région Nouvelle Aquitaine.”

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  1. IC2MP, UMR-CNRS 7285, University of Poitiers, 4 rue Michel Brunet, 86022, Poitiers, France

    C.A. Campos-Roldán & N. Alonso-Vante

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  1. C.A. Campos-Roldán
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  2. N. Alonso-Vante
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C.A.C.R. experiment, data analysis, and drafting; N.A.-V. organized, supervised, and reviewed the work.

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Correspondence to N. Alonso-Vante.

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Campos-Roldán, C., Alonso-Vante, N. Understanding the oxophilic effect on the hydrogen electrode reaction through PtM nanostructures. J Solid State Electrochem 25, 187–194 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-020-04719-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-020-04719-7

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