Pt nanoparticles supported on in-situ growth titanium dioxide nanowire arrays with oxygen vacancies for hydrogen evolution reaction

Platinum (Pt)-based catalysts exhibit excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in acidic medium. However, their performance in alkaline medium is limited due to the difficulty of forming Pt-H* bonds. The development of platinum-based catalysts effective in both acidic and alkaline environments is crucial for advancing electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this study, an acid-alkaline compatible catalyst was developed. Titanium (Ti) dioxide nanowires arrays with oxygen vacancies were grown in situ on carbon cloth, followed by the decoration of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). The HER performance of the catalyst in both acidic and alkaline medium was assessed by adjusting the Pt content. The Pt-TiO2/CC catalyst showed superior HER activity, with low overpotentials of 38 mV in acidic and 35 mV in alkaline medium at 10 mA cm- 2, and Tafel slopes of 47 and 59 mV dec-1, respectively. Theoretical and experimental analyses revealed that the Pt-Ti interaction plays a key role in enhancing catalytic performance. This interaction affects the coordination environment and structure, enhancing charge transfer between Pt-TiO2/CC and hydrogen atoms, which improves hydrogen adsorption and boosts HER activity. This study provides a strategy for designing noble metal-supported transition metal oxide catalysts, where interfacial interactions enhance HER activity.