Ultralow Loading (Single-Atom and Clusters) of the Pt Catalyst by Atomic Layer Deposition Using Dimethyl ((3,4-η) N,N-dimethyl-3-butene-1-amine-N) Platinum (DDAP) on the High-Surface-Area Substrate for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Single-atom Pt catalyst has seen a tremendous surge in the research community in very recent times. The minimum loading of such precious metal catalysts on high surface area substrates with effective performance toward catalyzing a reaction is indeed of great importance. Here, an alternative way is demonstrated to perform an ultralow loading of Pt catalyst by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using dimethyl ((3,4-eta) N,N-dimethyl-3-butene-1-amine-N) platinum precursor (C8H19NPt). The ultralow loading of Pt catalyst is performed on highly porous nitrogen-carbon-powder coated carbon cloth (NC-CC) substrates by varying the number of ALD cycles (2 to 60), and their performance in electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is evaluated. The inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry provides the exact mass of the Pt catalyst, whereas, the transmission electron microscopy images confirm the uniform and homogeneous dispersion of platinum single-atoms and clusters (with an average size of <1 nm for ten ALD cycles) on the NC-CC substrate. It is further found that the mass activity of Pt catalyst (per microgram of Pt) toward HER is extraordinarily high for less number of ALD cycles (two and five), whereas, the overall performance (current density per geometrical area) becomes more and more improved with increasing the ALD cycles.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates an alternative method for achieving ultralow loading of Pt catalyst on highly porous nitrogen-carbon-powder coated carbon cloth (NC-CC) substrates using atomic layer deposition (ALD). It was found that the mass activity of Pt catalyst towards electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is extremely high for a smaller number of ALD cycles, but overall performance improves with an increase in ALD cycles. The uniform dispersion of platinum single-atoms and clusters on the NC-CC substrate was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy images.