Bridging Acidic and Alkaline Hydrogen Electrocatalysis via Ru-Modified Pt<sub>3</sub>Co for Waste-to-Energy Electrochemical Neutralization Fuel Cells.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41441761.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1002/adma.202520173.
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Abstract
The hydrogen oxidation (HOR) and hydrogen evolution (HER) reactions define the core of hydrogen electrochemistry, yet demand distinct control over hydroxyl binding and interfacial water structuring. Here, we engineer a ruthenium single-atom anchored Pt<sub>3</sub>Co intermetallic on nitrogen-doped carbon (O-Pt<sub>3</sub>Co-RuNC) to bridge this divide. The catalyst delivers a mass activity 4.1 times higher than Pt/C for alkaline HOR with only 9.3% CO-induced loss, while simultaneously exhibiting remarkable activity for acidic HER, thus establishing a rare cross-environment bifunctional platform. Leveraging this property, we design an electrochemical neutralization energy fuel cell (ENFC) that converts acid-base neutralization energy directly into electricity. Using O-Pt<sub>3</sub>Co-RuNC as both anode and cathode catalyst, the ENFC achieves a peak power density of 75.0 mW cm<sup>-</sup> <sup>2</sup> and stable operation beyond 400 h while simultaneously neutralizing waste acid and alkali. Operando spectroscopy and theoretical analyses reveal that Ru atoms electronically reprogram adjacent Co sites, strengthening hydrogen bonding in interfacial water and accelerating proton-coupled electron transfer. This study offers a blueprint for constructing hydrogen electrocatalysts and hybrid fuel cells that harmonize activity, durability, and sustainable resource utilization.