Unraveling the Bimetallic Synergy: A Unified Framework for Synthesis, Dynamic Evolution, and Multi‐Electron Electrocatalysis

ABSTRACT Bimetallic electrocatalysts provide additional geometric and electronic degrees of freedom for regulating multi‐electron reactions and can relax the scaling constraints encountered at monometallic sites in favorable cases. However, rational development of such catalysts remains challenging due to the mismatch between static as‐synthesized structures and dynamically evolving active sites under operating conditions. This Review presents an integrated framework connecting synthesis, structural evolution, characterization, and multi‐electron electrocatalytic behaviors. Representative bimetallic systems, ranging from alloys, intermetallics, heterointerfaces, and core–shell structures to atomically dispersed dual‐metal sites are compared in terms of structural precision, scalability, and ability to control metal‐metal proximity. Key characterization approaches are summarized, highlighting the necessity of combined microscopy, spectroscopy, operando analysis, isotope labeling, and theoretical calculations to validate genuine bimetallic synergy. Applications are discussed across water splitting (HER/OER), oxygen reduction (ORR), CO 2 reduction (CO 2 RR), nitrogen‐cycle conversion (NO x RR), and electrochemical urea synthesis (EUS). Across these systems, two universal synergy modes are identified: electronic/geometric tuning to optimize intermediate adsorption and functional site division to enable tandem multi‐step reactions. Finally, challenges in controllable dynamic reconstruction, structural durability under industrial conditions, together with prospects of data‐driven catalyst discovery are outlined to guide scalable catalyst development.

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Publication Details

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Small
Published
2026-09-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.75849
Primary Topic
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
Type
article
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article

Unraveling the Bimetallic Synergy: A Unified Framework for Synthesis, Dynamic Evolution, and Multi‐Electron Electrocatalysis

Cui Lai, Xianyuan Xu, Jingru Hu, Ting Wu et al.
Small
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
article

Unraveling the Bimetallic Synergy: A Unified Framework for Synthesis, Dynamic Evolution, and Multi‐Electron Electrocatalysis

Cui Lai, Xianyuan Xu, Jingru Hu, Ting Wu, Dengsheng Ma
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bimetallic electrocatalysts provide additional geometric and electronic degrees of freedom for regulating multi‐electron reactions and can relax the scaling constraints encountered at monometallic sites in favorable cases. However, rational development of such catalysts remains challenging due to the mismatch between static as‐synthesized structures and dynamically evolving active sites under operating conditions. This Review presents an integrated framework connecting synthesis, structural evolution, characterization, and multi‐electron electrocatalytic behaviors. Representative bimetallic systems, ranging from alloys, intermetallics, heterointerfaces, and core–shell structures to atomically dispersed dual‐metal sites are compared in terms of structural precision, scalability, and ability to control metal‐metal proximity. Key characterization approaches are summarized, highlighting the necessity of combined microscopy, spectroscopy, operando analysis, isotope labeling, and theoretical calculations to validate genuine bimetallic synergy. Applications are discussed across water splitting (HER/OER), oxygen reduction (ORR), CO 2 reduction (CO 2 RR), nitrogen‐cycle conversion (NO x RR), and electrochemical urea synthesis (EUS). Across these systems, two universal synergy modes are identified: electronic/geometric tuning to optimize intermediate adsorption and functional site division to enable tandem multi‐step reactions. Finally, challenges in controllable dynamic reconstruction, structural durability under industrial conditions, together with prospects of data‐driven catalyst discovery are outlined to guide scalable catalyst development.

Small
Zhejiang Normal University (CN), Hunan University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 30%
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
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Unraveling the Bimetallic Synergy: A Unified Framework for Synthesis, Dynamic Evolution, and Multi‐Electron Electrocatalysis — Cui Lai, Xianyuan Xu, et al. · Small (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS