Enhancing Electrocatalytic Performance of Iridium Nanosheets in Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Through Morphological Optimization

In recent decades, nanometals have been extensively investigated and applied across various disciplines, including catalysis, sensors, optics, and biomedicine, due to their tunable size and structure. In catalysis, it has been well established that modifying the size and shape of metal nanomaterials significantly impacts their catalytic properties, such as activity, selectivity, and stability.
Hydrogen, as an ideal energy source, plays a pivotal role in the energy and power generation sectors. Platinum (Pt) is currently regarded as the most effective electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, its high cost and susceptibility to corrosion in acidic electrolytes present significant challenges. Consequently, the development of efficient and stable HER electrocatalysts for acidic environments has become a critical area of research.
In this context, iridium (Ir) has garnered considerable attention in the field of electrochemistry due to its intrinsic redox properties and relatively higher abundance. Recent studies have focused on enhancing the electrochemical performance of Ir-based electrocatalysts through advanced structural design and kinetic optimization. A variety of modification techniques have been developed to improve iridium atom utilization and increase the exposure of active catalytic sites, thereby enhancing electrochemical activity and stability.
Preliminary findings in this study reveal that Ir nanosheets exhibit a Tafel slope of 41 mV/dec, indicating exceptional HER performance. Therefore, this research aims to further investigate the morphological design of Ir nanosheets structure to optimize their electrocatalytic activity for HER applications.