Scientists cut platinum use in hydrogen production with new catalyst

Chinese researchers have developed a new catalyst that could make hydrogen production cheaper and more efficient by reducing the amount of platinum needed. 

Hydrogen is often promoted as a clean energy source because it produces no greenhouse gases when used, but most hydrogen today is still made from fossil fuels.

A cleaner method involves splitting water using renewable electricity, but the process relies on catalysts to speed up the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). While platinum is the most effective catalyst for hydrogen production, it is both rare and expensive, limiting its practical use.

In an effort to reduce costs and improve the viability of platinum-based hydrogen production, researchers from the Beijing University of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences sought to develop a new bimetallic catalyst.

The result is an innovative platinum-cobalt alloy on MXene—a layered material prized for its excellent conductivity and large surface area—that offers a promising solution by integrating cost reduction with high efficiency and durability.

Platinum-cobalt alloy breakthrough makes hydrogen cleaner

This breakthrough material combines a minuscule amount of platinum with cobalt, maintaining high catalytic performance while significantly cutting down on the use of expensive platinum. The approach could make clean hydrogen production more practical for large-scale applications, offering a pathway to a more sustainable and affordable energy future.

Using a stepwise reduction process, the researchers created a uniform spread of platinum-cobalt (PtCo) alloy particles across MXene. This method ensured that the metal particles were evenly dispersed, maximizing the catalyst’s effectiveness for hydrogen production.

“More importantly, MXene two-dimensional nanosheets can expose more active sites because of their large specific surface area. Furthermore, MXene substrate with excellent electrical conductivity and harmonious interfaces between PtCo and MXene enhance charge transfer efficiency and lower the reaction activation energy,” the scientists explain in their abstract. 

Tests confirm stable performance MXene hydrogen catalyst

Tests in acidic conditions showed that the PtCo/MXene catalyst worked efficiently with low overpotentials of 60 mV at −10 mA/cm² and 152 mV at −100 mA/cm². It also remained stable during use, making it a strong candidate for practical hydrogen production.

The researchers found that the catalyst’s unique structure allowed electrons to transfer more quickly and made it easier for hydrogen to be released during the reaction. Computer simulations further revealed that adding cobalt altered the electronic structure of platinum in a way that enhanced its catalytic activity. 

This modification improved the overall efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction, demonstrating how carefully designed metal combinations can significantly boost performance in clean energy applications.

Thus, by improving the efficiency of a catalyst that requires minimal platinum, the researchers have opened up new possibilities for developing hydrogen energy systems that are both more sustainable and easier to scale.

The study has been published in the journal Frontiers in Energy.

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