Engineering Platinum–Cobalt Nano?alloys in Porous Nitrogen?Doped Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Highly efficient electrocatalysts are essential for the production of green hydrogen from water electrolysis. Herein, a metal-organic framework-assisted pyrolysis-replacement-reorganization approach is developed to obtain ultrafine Pt-Co alloy nanoparticles (sub-10 nm) attached on inner and outer shells porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT) with closed ends. During thermal reorganization, migration nano-alloys both surfaces ensures maximized exposure active sites while maintaining robust attachment matrix. Density functional theory calculations suggest nearly thermodynamically-neutral free energy adsorption intermediates diversified induced by alloying, thus resulting in great promotion intrinsic activity towards evolution reaction (HER). Benefiting delicate structural design compositional modulation, optimized Pt3Co@NCNT electrocatalyst manifests outstanding HER superior stability acidic alkaline media.