Overwhelming the Performance of Single Atoms with Atomic Clusters for Platinum-Catalyzed Hydrogen Evolution

As one of the dominant configurations, platinum (Pt) single atomic catalysts (SACs) have pushed the performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) to an unprecedented level due to the maximized atomic utilization efficiency of Pt atoms. However, the contribution of atomic clusters, which exist in SACs as well, to the overall catalytic performance is always overlooked, thus limiting further enhancement of the performance of Pt-catalyzed HER. Herein, we report anchoring Pt atomic clusters on N-doped graphene for ultrahigh performance of the HER. Benefiting from optimized electron transfer and larger binding energy between active centers and the substrate, Pt atomic cluster catalysts (ACCs) exhibit higher catalytic activity than their single atomic counterparts after 4000 cycles and more than 16 h for HER in an acid solution. These findings reveal a vast opportunity to enhance the catalytic performance of chemical reactions with noble-metal-based ACCs in the near future.