Rhodium/silicon quantum dot/carbon quantum dot composites as highly efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction with Pt-like performance

Though noble metals play a key role in the clean energy research, their wide practical applications have been limited by the high cost and the scarce natural reserves. It is significant to decrease their usage and increase the active sites in the catalysis. Herein, Rh nanocrystals were grown on the surface of silicon quantum dots with the help of SiH bonds to obtain RhSi composites, which combined with carbon quantum dots to fabricate RhSiC nanocomposites. The silicon quantum dots limited the size of Rh and prevented the aggregation. The addition of carbon quantum dots greatly increased the electron transportation during the catalytic process. When the RhSiC nanocomposites were applied as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the optimal one exhibits Pt-like HER performance (low Tafel slope of 26 mV·dec-1 and long-term stability) with the content of noble metal less than half of that in 20 wt% Pt/C. This work could put forward an effective avenue to develop high efficient and affordable electrochemical catalysts for HER.