Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract Palladium hydride (PdHx) metallenes are efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their high atomic utilization and optimized oxygen binding energies modulated by interstitial hydrogen. However, their practical application is restricted by the highly unstable...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu Qiu, Dongxu Jiao, Hong Huang, Jiandong Wu, Mingming Wang, Tianyi Gao, Xiao Zhao, Xin Ge, Wei Zhang, Weitao Zheng, David J. Singh, Jinchang Fan, Xiaoqiang Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61524-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849402154986504192
author Yu Qiu
Dongxu Jiao
Hong Huang
Jiandong Wu
Mingming Wang
Tianyi Gao
Xiao Zhao
Xin Ge
Wei Zhang
Weitao Zheng
David J. Singh
Jinchang Fan
Xiaoqiang Cui
author_facet Yu Qiu
Dongxu Jiao
Hong Huang
Jiandong Wu
Mingming Wang
Tianyi Gao
Xiao Zhao
Xin Ge
Wei Zhang
Weitao Zheng
David J. Singh
Jinchang Fan
Xiaoqiang Cui
author_sort Yu Qiu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Palladium hydride (PdHx) metallenes are efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their high atomic utilization and optimized oxygen binding energies modulated by interstitial hydrogen. However, their practical application is restricted by the highly unstable nature of interstitial hydrogen at working temperatures around 353 K. Here, we report that the use of Mn effectively locks hydrogen atoms within the Pd metallenes lattice, resulting in high alkaline ORR performance across a temperature range of 303–353 K. In contrast, the ORR activity of PdHx metallenes declines sharply with increasing temperature. At 353 K, the mass activity of PdMnHx metallenes at 0.95 V reaches 1.41 A mg− 1, which is 14.1 times higher than that of PdHx metallenes. Multiple spectroscopic analyses and theoretical calculations reveal that strong electronic interactions within the immiscible Pd-Mn alloy are critical for locking interstitial hydrogen, thereby enhancing the ORR activity under high temperatures.
format Article
id doaj-art-76814b7dcc8b4545a7bc553194c8a480
institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-76814b7dcc8b4545a7bc553194c8a4802025-08-20T03:37:37ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-61524-4Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reactionYu Qiu0Dongxu Jiao1Hong Huang2Jiandong Wu3Mingming Wang4Tianyi Gao5Xiao Zhao6Xin Ge7Wei Zhang8Weitao Zheng9David J. Singh10Jinchang Fan11Xiaoqiang Cui12School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversityKey Laboratory of Pathobiology of MOE, Nanomedicine and Translational Research Center, The Third Bethune Hospital of Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversityDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of MissouriSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Electron Microscopy Center, Jilin UniversityAbstract Palladium hydride (PdHx) metallenes are efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their high atomic utilization and optimized oxygen binding energies modulated by interstitial hydrogen. However, their practical application is restricted by the highly unstable nature of interstitial hydrogen at working temperatures around 353 K. Here, we report that the use of Mn effectively locks hydrogen atoms within the Pd metallenes lattice, resulting in high alkaline ORR performance across a temperature range of 303–353 K. In contrast, the ORR activity of PdHx metallenes declines sharply with increasing temperature. At 353 K, the mass activity of PdMnHx metallenes at 0.95 V reaches 1.41 A mg− 1, which is 14.1 times higher than that of PdHx metallenes. Multiple spectroscopic analyses and theoretical calculations reveal that strong electronic interactions within the immiscible Pd-Mn alloy are critical for locking interstitial hydrogen, thereby enhancing the ORR activity under high temperatures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61524-4
spellingShingle Yu Qiu
Dongxu Jiao
Hong Huang
Jiandong Wu
Mingming Wang
Tianyi Gao
Xiao Zhao
Xin Ge
Wei Zhang
Weitao Zheng
David J. Singh
Jinchang Fan
Xiaoqiang Cui
Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
Nature Communications
title Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
title_full Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
title_fullStr Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
title_full_unstemmed Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
title_short Locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in Pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
title_sort locking interstitial hydrogen atoms in pd metallenes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61524-4
work_keys_str_mv AT yuqiu lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT dongxujiao lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT honghuang lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT jiandongwu lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT mingmingwang lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT tianyigao lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT xiaozhao lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT xinge lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT weizhang lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT weitaozheng lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT davidjsingh lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT jinchangfan lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction
AT xiaoqiangcui lockinginterstitialhydrogenatomsinpdmetallenesforefficientoxygenreductionreaction