Synergistic Pt-MoP Interaction on Carbon Support Enables High-Performance Hydrogen Evolution with Reduced Platinum Loading

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis is a sustainable method to produce green hydrogen. However, its widespread application is constrained by the high cost and limited durability of Pt-based catalysts used in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, we developed a Pt-incorporated MoP catalyst supported on Ketjen black (Pt-MoP/C), containing only 8.1 wt.% Pt. This catalyst significantly outperforms the conventional 20 wt.% Pt/C, achieving an overpotential of 3 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm −2 and a Tafel slope of 31.8 mV·dec −1 compared to 16 mV@10 mA·cm −2 and 33.8 mV·dec −1 for Pt/C. XPS analysis revealed a strong interaction between Pt and MoP, leading to increased electron density at the Pt sites. This synergy effect between the Pt and MoP enhances HER activity. Moreover, the Pt-MoP/C catalyst maintained its catalytic activity after 300 h of stability testing. These findings provide valuable insights into the development of innovative Pt-based catalysts for improved HER performance. Graphical A novel Pt-incorporated MoP catalyst (Pt-MoP/C) with a low Pt content of 8.1 wt.% demonstrates superior performance for water electrolysis over commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C. Synergistic electron transfer from MoP to Pt enhances Pt's electron density, enabling a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 at a remarkably low overpotential of 3 mV. This work offers key insights for developing innovative, low-Pt catalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution.