Urchin-like PdOs nanostructure for hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis

The compositional and structural engineering of advanced nanomaterials for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is highly necessary for efficient hydrogen production. Herein, PdOs nanospine assemblies (PdOs NAs) with urchin-like structures are fabricated via one-step route using DM-970 and KBr as surfactant agent and capping agent, respectively. Benefiting from electronic effect and multi-branched structure, the PdOs NAs exhibit superior performance for HER in alkaline and neutral solutions, requiring overpotentials of 28 and 35 mV at −10 mA cm−2, respectively, as well as superior long-term stability. This study offers a universal approach for the fabrication of active Pd-based catalysts with multi-branched morphology for efficient water electrolysis and beyond.