Anion Modulation of Pt-Group Metals and Electrocatalysis Applications

Pt-group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts with unique electronic structures and irreplaceable comprehensive properties play crucial roles in electrocatalysis. Anion engineering can create a series of PGM compounds (such as RuP2, IrP2, PtP2, RuB2, Ru2B3, RuS2, etc.) that provide a promising prospect for improving the electrocatalytic performance and use of Pt-group noble metals. This review seeks the electrochemical activity origin of anion-modulated PGM compounds, and systematically analyzes and summarizes their synthetic strategies and energy-relevant applications in electrocatalysis. Orientation towards the sustainable development of nonfossil resources has stimulated a blossoming interest in the design of advanced electrocatalysts for clean energy conversion. The anion-modulated strategy for Pt-group metals (PGMs) by means of anion engineering possesses high flexibility to regulate the electronic structure, providing a promising prospect for constructing electrocatalysts with superior activity and stability to satisfy a future green electrochemical energy conversion system. Based on the previous work of our group and others, this review summarizes the up-to-date progress on anion-modulated PGM compounds (such as RuP2, IrP2, PtP2, RuB2, Ru2B3, RuS2, etc.) in energy-related electrocatalysis from the origin of their activity and synthetic strategies to electrochemical applications including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), N-2 reduction reaction (NRR), and CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). At the end, the key problems, countermeasures and future development orientations of anion-modulated PGM compounds toward electrocatalytic applications are proposed.

Automated summary

Pt-group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts have unique electronic structures and comprehensive properties that are crucial in electrocatalysis. Anion engineering can create a series of PGM compounds with promising prospects for improving electrocatalytic performance. By regulating the electronic structure, the anion-modulated strategy offers flexibility in constructing electrocatalysts with superior activity and stability for future green energy conversion systems.