Compositional Phase Control in High-Entropy Alloy Electrocatalysts

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) provide uniquely tunable structural and electronic properties that enable robust electrocatalysis. While compositional manipulation of HEAs is well-known, systematically controlling the crystalline phase and morphology remains a challenge that could provide new avenues for controlling reactive sites and physical properties. Here, we show the preferential stabilization of mixed fcc/bcc to fcc phases by controlling the Au content in quinary AuPdFeCoNi HEA nanoparticles. This systematic structural and compositional control, when investigated with an ensemble of electronic, X-ray synchrotron, and surface techniques, allows us to identify the critical short- (few-Å) and medium- (6-10 Å) range structural motifs that deliver exceptional hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis. Specifically, these HEAs exhibit both outstanding durability (240 h) and high mass activity (50 A/mgPGM) normalized to noble metal content, outperforming commercial Pt/C (3.18 A/mgPGM). This structural control over HEA morphology, and its direct association with changes in specific metallic oxidation states and pair-pair atomic structural features, provides new means and strategies for finely designing robust and sustainable electrocatalysts with a majority nonprecious metal composition.