Single‐Atom Catalysts with Microenvironment Tuned by High Entropy for Efficient and Stable Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

ABSTRACT Conventional non‐noble hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts are plagued by excessive hydrogen adsorption and instability. To overcome this, we pioneer a high‐entropy single‐atom (HESA) catalyst via precise anchoring of multiple transition metals on carbon supports. The HESA catalyst achieves record‐breaking alkaline HER performance of 44 mV@10 mA cm −2 (matching commercial Pt/C catalyst) and 300 h stability, resolving the persistent activity‐stability trade‐off. Systematical characterizations reveal that low‐coordination metal sites induce significant metal‐support charge redistribution. Electronegative supports withdraw electrons from metal centers, while π‐back‐donation downshifts metal d‐band centers, optimizing the Gibbs free energy of intermediate H atoms (ΔG H* ). Atomic‐scale imaging further confirms uniform charge distribution and Ångström‐level electric field response. Crucially, adjacent multi‐metal sites synergistically lower energy barriers for both water dissociation and hydrogen desorption through a synergistic electronic buffering effect. This work establishes entropy‐driven microenvironment engineering as a paradigm for cooperative optimization of active sites and electronic structures, opening avenues for durable non‐precious catalysts.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Energy Materials
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202505018
Primary Topic
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Single‐Atom Catalysts with Microenvironment Tuned by High Entropy for Efficient and Stable Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Jiachen Sun, Bangxin Li, Mingyue Yuan, Yuting Miao et al.
Advanced Energy Materials
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
article

Single‐Atom Catalysts with Microenvironment Tuned by High Entropy for Efficient and Stable Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Jiachen Sun, Bangxin Li, Mingyue Yuan, Yuting Miao, Renchao Che, Jinwen Zhang, Yihao Liu, Heyong He, Xuhui Xiong
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conventional non‐noble hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts are plagued by excessive hydrogen adsorption and instability. To overcome this, we pioneer a high‐entropy single‐atom (HESA) catalyst via precise anchoring of multiple transition metals on carbon supports. The HESA catalyst achieves record‐breaking alkaline HER performance of 44 mV@10 mA cm −2 (matching commercial Pt/C catalyst) and 300 h stability, resolving the persistent activity‐stability trade‐off. Systematical characterizations reveal that low‐coordination metal sites induce significant metal‐support charge redistribution. Electronegative supports withdraw electrons from metal centers, while π‐back‐donation downshifts metal d‐band centers, optimizing the Gibbs free energy of intermediate H atoms (ΔG H* ). Atomic‐scale imaging further confirms uniform charge distribution and Ångström‐level electric field response. Crucially, adjacent multi‐metal sites synergistically lower energy barriers for both water dissociation and hydrogen desorption through a synergistic electronic buffering effect. This work establishes entropy‐driven microenvironment engineering as a paradigm for cooperative optimization of active sites and electronic structures, opening avenues for durable non‐precious catalysts.

Advanced Energy MaterialsVol. 16(4)
Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Ministry of Education, India, Science and Technology on Surface Physics and Chemistry Laboratory
Openalex Percentile: Top 73%
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.