Flower-like platinum-cobalt-ruthenium alloy nanoassemblies as robust and highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract Exploring hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst with highly catalytic features in alkaline conditions is considered as significance for water splitting. In this study, a general and simple method was developed to prepare flower-like platinum-cobalt-ruthenium alloy nanoassemblies (PtCoRu NAs) by using murexide and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) as the co-structural-directing agents. Benefiting from the structural advantages and multimetallic compositions, the as-prepared PtCoRu NAs displayed remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic performance for the HER in 1 M KOH, with a low overpotential (η, 22 mV) to drive 10 mA cm−2, small Tafel slope (46 mV dec−1), and high exchange current density (j0, 3.30 mA cm−2) during the long-term electrolysis. The as-developed strategy shed some valuable guidelines for preparing advanced multimetallic catalysts for promising production of hydrogen in fuel cells.