Highly Active Platinum Single-Atom Catalyst grafted onto 3D Carbon Cloth Support for the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Platinum single-atom catalysts (PtSACs) on 3D support are emerging as new frontier in catalysis due to their atom-economy, outstanding performance and the advantage to bridge the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Here we report on a simple, single-step electrochemical grafting attachment of a metal-selective ligand, 2,6:2’,2”-terpyridine, and the synthesis of platinum single-atom electrocatalyst via metal uptake from aqueous salt solution. At an ultra-low loading of 0.26 ±0.02 μgcm-2 of platinum, the single atom catalysts supported on porous 3D carbon cloth electrode via chemical bonding revealed the highest reported mass activity of 77.1 AgPt-1 at η = 50 mV/RHE compared to the commercial catalyst 20 % Pt/C. The electro-grafted terpyridine ligand can also act as an effective scavenger for leached platinum from the counter electrode during extended operational hours. The method to make the PtSAC is facile, non-hazardous and versatile without involving any elaborative pre- and/or post-treatment steps and, the value of the added platinum to the ligand is only 0.1 US$m-2.