Efficient electrocatalysis of hydrogen evolution by ultralow-Pt-loading bamboo-like nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes

The highly effective catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogen generation with substantially reduced cost are strongly desirable, but difficult to achieve. The reduction of Pt-loading by downsizing the Pt nanoparticles is an efficient strategy for obtaining low-cost and high-activity HER electrocatalysts. Herein, we describe a facile strategy to the formation of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles (NPs) bonding to N-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes, serving as a highly active and durable catalyst with ultra-low Pt loading for the electrochemical hydrogen generation. With the addition of mesoporous silica to change the wettability of the electrode from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity of the electrode, the optimized nanocomposite catalyst with ultra-low Pt loading (0.74 wt%) shows a near-zero onset potential (U_onset), an extremely low overpotential of 40 mV to reach 10 mA cm⁻² (η₁₀), a small Tafel slope of 33 mV dec⁻¹, and excellent long-term stability, which are comparable to those of 20 wt% Pt/C catalyst. The outstanding properties ensure this promising nanocomposite with significantly reduced Pt loading to become one of the most active catalysts towards the electrochemical hydrogen generation in acid medium.