Constructing 2D PtSe2/PtCo Heterojunctions by Partial Selenization for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

The rational design and fabrication of 2D heterojuctions are proven a promising strategy for boosting the performance of electrocatalysts. Although 2D platinum diselenide (PtSe₂) exhibits catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the catalytic performance is still unsatisfactory due to its inert basal plane, wide bandgap, and poor electron transfer ability. Herein, a new strategy is reported to construct PtSe₂/PtCo heterojunctions by partial selenization of PtCo alloy for high-efficiency HER electrocatalyst, which exhibits a low overpotential of 38 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm⁻², a small Tafel slope of 22 mV dec⁻¹, and a superior stability over 24 h and 1000 cycles. The outstanding HER activity of the catalyst arises from the strong electronic interactions between PtSe₂ and PtCo in the heterojunctions, which induce electron transferring from PtSe₂ to PtCo and the d-band center down shifting, and thus optimize the H^* adsorption/desorption. This work provides a novel strategy for constructing highly efficient heterostructure electrocatalysts, which facilitates the applications of hydrogen energy conversion.