Recent Advances in Carbon-Supported Noble-Metal Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Syntheses, Structures, and Properties

摘要

The electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) that converts renewableelectricity into storable hydrogen, a sustainable and clean energy carrier,provides a promising method to mitigate the energy crisis and environmentalpollution. In general, noble-metal-based nanomaterials (including Pt, Rh, Ru,Ir, etc.) have drawn tremendous research attention in the context of the HERbecause of their nearly optimal bindings to hydrogen, robust stability and tunablephysical/chemical properties. Particularly, carbon as a substrate not onlyoffers a stabilizing and conductive matrix, but also impacts the electronic structureof the supported metal by interfacial interaction, necessitating a detailedunderstanding. To speed up the sluggish kinetics of the HER, the design andconstruction of efficient electrocatalysts is of crucial importance. Herein, acomprehensive review of the recent advances in carbon-supported noble-metalelectrocatalysts is presented, focusing on their synthetic strategies, structuralanalyses, and applications in HER electrocatalysis. Specifically, the correlationbetween the electronic structure and activity is discussed. Furthermore, aperspective is offered highlighting the challenges and opportunities for developmentof highly efficient HER electrocatalysts, with the aim for widespreadutilization of practical water electrolyzers toward green hydrogen production.