Tuning intrinsic defects of Pt-based carbon supports by high-energy ball-milling for enhanced alkaline hydrogen evolution

Carbon materials are significant supports for catalysts, in which surface properties play a crucial role in catalytic performances. However, the correlation between the intrinsic defects of carbon supports and the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance of catalysts is still unclear. Herein, graphite (G) was used as a model support to study the effect of intrinsic defects of carbon support on the HER performance. To this end, defect-enriched graphite supports were obtained by a simple high-energy ball-milling process. The affluent intrinsic defects (edge surfaces) in graphite supports served as active sites for the dispersion and anchoring of Pt nanoparticles for better electron transfer from Pt species to the support, leading to strong metal-support interactions. The resulting Pt-loaded on defect-enriched DG-30 (Pt/DG-30) delivered a lower overpotential of 46 mV at 10 mA cm−2 when compared to undecorated Pt/G (177 mV), indicating an excellent HER activity. Pt/DG-30 also showed superior stability due to the strong metal-support interactions between Pt nanoparticles and carbon support. In sum, significant insights into the rational optimization and regulation of intrinsic defects of carbon supports were provided for the preparation of new catalysts-modified carbon supports with enhanced HER performances.