Robust electrocatalysts from an alloyed Pt-Ru-M (M = Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo)-decorated Ti mesh for hydrogen evolution by seawater splitting

A prerequisite for creating green hydrogen energy is to develop cost-effective electrocatalysts with reduced overpotentials, increased current density, and therefore enhanced catalytic activity toward water splitting. We present here the fabrication of an alloyed Pt-Ru-M (M = Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo)-decorated titanium mesh by a simple electrodeposition technique. The resultant electrocatalysts were thoroughly characterized and evaluated by catalyzing seawater splitting. The preliminary results demonstrate that the titanium-mesh-supported Pt-Ru-M electrodes have markedly enhanced catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction in comparison to the corresponding Pt or Pt-Ru electrode, arising from the alloying effects between the transition metals and Pt species. Moreover, the resultant Pt-Ru-Mo alloy electrodes show remarkable stability over 172 h of operation, suggesting their promise for use in practical applications.