Phosphorus Doping in PtRu Nanoalloys to Boost Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Developing high-performance electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains a significant challenge in reducing noble Pt consumption due to its poor water dissociation activity. In this study, phosphorus (P) atoms were successfully integrated into a PtRu alloy via a facile phosphating reaction of NaH₂PO₂·H₂O. Through optimization of the electronic structure of Pt and Ru induced by P-doping, the process of water dissociation was markedly accelerated. Thus the P-PtRu/C catalyst exhibited superior activity in terms of low overpotentials of merely 1 mV and 68 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and 100 mA cm⁻², respectively, compared to the counterparts and commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C-JM. Furthermore, the introduction of P atoms substantially reduced the agglomeration of PtRu nanoparticles, thus producing strong electrocatalytic stability toward alkaline HER. This work provides a promising advancement in designing advanced electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production and beyond.