Soft-templated Mesoporous RuPt/C Coatings with Enhanced Activity in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Platinum is the most active catalyst for the electrolytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Yet, it is expensive as well as scarce and therefore needs to be used most efficiently. In order to reduce the amount of necessary Pt we propose a synthesis approach to alloyed RuPt nanoparticles which retain the enhanced catalytic activity of Pt. These particles are dispersed on an electrically conductive, highly accessible and stable carbon coating. The synthesis route relies on the co-deposition of molecular Ru and Pt precursors together with a carbon precursor with micelles as structure directing pore templates. The films adhere without the use of binding agents like Nafion, which can decrease catalytic activity by blocking of pores and active surface sites. Carbonization in reducing atmosphere (H-2/Ar) leads to ordered mesoporous carbon films with a controlled morphology and a very high electrical conductivity. The films exhibit well dispersed small nanoparticles. The presented RuPt catalyst films show a four times higher activity per Pt in the hydrogen evolution reaction compared to conventional Nafion-based Pt/C reference catalysts. Moreover, the synthesis approach represents a generic approach to ordered mesoporous carbon coatings containing metal nanoparticles. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Inc.