Platinum/(Carbon‐Nanotube) Electrocatalyst Boosts Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Acidic, Neutral and Alkaline Solutions

Widely used catalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen (H₂) evolution reaction (HER) have high platinum (Pt) contents and show low efficiencies in neutral and alkaline solutions. Herein, a carbon nanotube (CNT) supported Pt catalyst (Pt/CNT45) with 1 wt.% Pt is fabricated. For HER, the mass activity of Pt/CNT45 in acidic (18.76 A mg_Pt⁻¹), neutral (3.92 A mg_Pt⁻¹), and alkaline (3.88 A mg_Pt⁻¹) solutions is respectively much higher than those on commercial Pt/C catalyst with 20 wt.% Pt (acidic: 0.31 A mg_Pt⁻¹, neutral: 0.03 A mg_Pt⁻¹, alkaline: 0.07 A mg_Pt⁻¹). Thus, Pt/CNT45 enhances HER not only in acidic solutions but also in neutral and alkaline solutions. Pt^δ+ at Pt‐CNT interface on Pt/CNT45 promotes water (H₂O) dissociation and hydroxyl (OH) desorption from Pt/CNT45, thus enhancing HER. This work opens a new way for enhancing HER in a wider pH range by catalyst with low Pt content, and helpful for commercialization.