Facile fabrication of hierarchical Rh2Ir alloy nanodendrites with excellent HER performance in a broad pH range

Abstract

It is a difficult and long-term task to develop highly active and stable electrocatalysts to realize efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. Herein, we report a facile oil-bath method to fabricate hierarchical Rh₂Ir alloy nanodendrites (Rh₂Ir NDs) with excellent HER performance in a broad pH range. Due to the unique branched nanostructure and rational Rh₂Ir metal proportion, the developed Rh₂Ir NDs exhibit superior activity and enhanced stability towards HER in a broad range of pH conditions. To deliver a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 M HClO₄ and 1 M KOH, Rh₂Ir NDs require overpotentials of only 12 and 9 mV, respectively. This work not only offers a high-performance electrocatalyst for electrochemical water splitting but also provides a new perspective towards the rational synthesis of hierarchical noble-metal nanodendrites.