Surface Reconstruction of PtRhNiMoPd Nanocrystals Facilitates Hydrogen Evolution from Acidic Electrolytic Water

The development and design of Pt-based alloy catalysts with high activity and stability are important for the hydrogen evolution reaction, especially in acidic media. Here, we report a mild acid-impregnated reconfiguration strategy to construct defects and strain effect (PtRhNiMoPd NCs-80°C-6h) by removing unstable Ni atoms in acetic acid treatment. Only 5.6 mV is required to achieve a current density of -10 mA cm-2 for PtRhNiMoPd NCs-80°C-6h in an acid electrolyte. Meanwhile, PtRhNiMoPd NCs-80°C-6h exhibits negligible degradation after 10,000 cycles, which is superior to commercial Pt/C. This suggests that surface reconstruction can expose more efficient active sites and improve the adsorption of intermediates on the active sites, enhancing the catalytic performance. This study provides a new perspective for the rational design of high-entropy alloy nanomaterials with an efficient hydrogen evolution performance.