Microwave‐Assisted PtRu Alloying on Defective Tungsten Oxide: A Pathway to Improved Hydroxyl Dynamics for Highly‐Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Abstract Platinum (Pt)‐based compounds are the benchmarked catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) but exhibit slow kinetics in alkaline environments. The * OH accumulation on Pt surface can block active sites, affecting proton reduction and water re‐adsorption. Alloying Ruthenium (Ru) with Pt sites can significantly modulate the adsorption and desorption of water dissociation intermediates. Choosing suitable supports and utilizing metal‐support interaction (MSI) is crucial for active site optimization. PtRu alloy anchored on tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) with rich oxygen vacancies (O V ) is prepared through an ultrafast microwave‐assisted approach. Benefiting from the coupling effects between alloying and MSI, PtRu/WO 3 ‐O V exhibits exceptionally high HER activity. In 1 m KOH, 1 m KOH + seawater, and 0.5 m H 2 SO 4 , it requires ultralow overpotentials of 9, 26, and 6 mV to achieve 10 mA cm −2 , respectively. The designed catalyst surpasses commercial Pt/C in mass activity and demonstrates considerable potential for intermittent energy integration. Density functional theory reveals that alloying Ru with Pt sites significantly reduces the energy barrier of dissociating * OH, modulating blockage on the surface and then promoting the overall alkaline HER process. This study offers insights into the rapid synthesis of non‐carbon supported catalysts with Pt site modulation for alkaline hydrogen generation.