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Vol. 17 (2025)

A Strongly Coupled Cluster Heterostructure with Pt–N-Mo Bonding for Durable and Efficient H2 Evolution in Anion-Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01798-x
Wenbo Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Yichao Huang
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Hanqing Cai
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Tao Wang
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Haitao Li
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Chao Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Lianming Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Lulu Chen
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Meihong Liao
School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Qingdao Binhai University, Qingdao 266555, People’s Republic of China
Zhiqing Tang
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Kai Chen
Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Institute of Materials, Fuzhou 350002, People’s Republic of China
Jing Gu
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182‑1030, USA
Wenpei Gao
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Future Material Innovation Center, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
Zhuangjun Fan
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety, Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People’s Republic of China
Zhenhai Wen
Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Institute of Materials, Fuzhou 350002, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Zhenhai Wen

wen@fjirsm.ac.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 17 (2025), Article Number: 296

Abstract

Creating strongly coupled heterostructures with favorable catalytic activities is crucial for promoting the performance of catalytic reactions, especially those involve multiple intermediates. Herein, we fabricated a strongly coupled platinum/molybdenum nitrides nanocluster heterostructure on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (Pt/Mo₂N–NrGO) for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction. The well-defined Pt-containing Anderson-type polyoxometalates promote strong interfacial Pt–N–Mo bonding in Pt/Mo2N–NrGO, which exhibits a remarkably low overpotential, high mass activity, and exceptional long-term durability (> 500 h at 1500 mA cm⁻2) in an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE). Operando Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory reveal that pronounced electronic coupling at the Pt/Mo₂N cluster interface facilitates the catalytic decomposition of H2O through synergistic stabilization of intermediates (Pt–H* and Mo-OH*), thereby enhancing the kinetics of the rate-determining Volmer step. Techno-economic analysis indicates a levelized hydrogen production cost of $2.02 kg⁻1, meeting the US DOE targets. Our strategy presents a viable pathway to designing next-generation catalysts for industrial AEMWE for green hydrogen production.


Highlights:
1 A strongly coupled platinum/molybdenum nitrides nanocluster heterostructure has been prepared by using Pt-containing Anderson-type polyoxometalates as precursors.
2 The pronounced electronic coupling at the Pt/Mo2N cluster interface facilitates the catalytic decomposition of H2O through synergistic stabilization of Pt-H* and Mo-OH*.
3 The optimized Pt/Mo2N-NrGO exhibits a remarkably low overpotential, high mass activity, and exceptional long-term durability (>500 h at 1500 mA cm-2) in a practical anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer.

Keywords

Heterostructures Polyoxometalates Electrocatalysis Hydrogen evolution reaction Anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers
Zhou, Wenbo, Yichao Huang, Hanqing Cai, Tao Wang, Haitao Li, Chao Zhang, Lianming Zhao, Lulu Chen, Meihong Liao, Zhiqing Tang, Kai Chen, Jing Gu, Wenpei Gao, Zhuangjun Fan, and Zhenhai Wen. 2025. “A Strongly Coupled Cluster Heterostructure With Pt–N-Mo Bonding for Durable and Efficient H2 Evolution in Anion-Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers”. Nano-Micro Letters 17 (June):296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01798-x.
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