Cathodic corrosion as a facile and universal method for scalable preparation of dual-atom electrocatalysts

Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) are emerging as highly efficient electrocatalysts, offering synergistic effects and high atomic utilization. Here, we introduce a scalable and facile electrochemical approach for the top-down synthesis of DACs supported on carbon materials via a two-time “plasma treatment + cathodic corrosion” procedure. Concretely, metal atoms in nanoparticles on cathode are etched under high negative potential, diffused over the electrode, captured by N doped carbon carriers in electrolyte and forming single-atom sites. After introducing additional N coordination sites adjacent to the primary metal single-atom sites via a secondary plasma processing and anchoring a second metal atom via a subsequent cathodic corrosion process, DACs are achieved. The as-prepared Pt DACs exhibit enhanced catalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with a low overpotential of 0.027 V at 10 mA·cm⁻² and a Tafel slope of 29.9 mV·dec⁻¹ as well as high stability. Importantly, the proposed electrochemical top-down synthetic route affords promising potential for scalable production of other homonuclear or heteronuclear DACs on multiple carbon substrates, advancing the practical application of DACs in electrocatalysis.