Bio-inspired noble metal-free nanomaterials approaching platinum performances for H2 evolution and uptake

Hydrogen/water interconversion is a key reaction in the context of new energy technologies, including hydrogen fuel cells, water electrolyzers, and water-splitting photoelectrochemical cells. Specifications differ for these technologies to meet economic viability but state-of-the-art prototypes all rely on the powerful catalytic properties of the platinum metal as a catalyst for hydrogen production and uptake. Yet, this scarce and expensive metal is not itself a sustainable resource and its replacement by low cost and readily available materials is a requisite for these technologies to become economically viable. Here we revisit the preparation of bioinspired nanomaterials for hydrogen evolution and uptake (Le Goff et al., Science, 2009, 326, 1384-1387) and show that molecular engineering combined with three dimensional structuring of the electrode material allows the preparation of stable materials based on nickel bisdiphosphine catalytic units with performances in a 0.5 M sulphuric acid aqueous electrolyte that approach those of commercial platinum-based materials (0.05 mg(Pt) cm(-2)) assessed under similar, technologically relevant, operational conditions.