New Insight of Pyrrole-Like Nitrogen for Boosting Hydrogen Evolution Activity and Stability of Pt Single Atoms

Single atomic Pt catalysts exhibit particularly high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity compared to conventional nanomaterial-based catalysts. However, the enhanced mechanisms between Pt and their coordination environment are not understood in detail. Hence, a systematic study examining the different types of N in the support is essential to clearly demonstrate the relationship between Pt single atoms and N-doped support. Herein, three types of carbon nanotubes with varying types of N (pyridine-like N, pyrrole-like N, and quaternary N) are used as carbon support for Pt single atom atomic layer deposition. The detailed coordination environment of the Pt single atom catalyst is carefully studied by electron microscope and X-ray absorption spectra (XAS). Interestingly, with the increase of pyrrole-like N in the CNT support, the HER activity of the Pt catalyst also improves. First principle calculations results indicate that the interaction between the dyz and s orbitals of H and sp³ hybrid orbital of N should be the origin of the superior HER performance of these Pt single atom catalysts (SACs).