Metal and Carbon Support Structure Design Strategies for High-Performance Platinum-Based Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysts

Hydrogen (H₂) has emerged as a promising next-generation energy carrier with significant potential to mitigate climate change and environmental pollution. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is the critical half-reaction directly responsible for hydrogen production. Efficient HER electrocatalysts must exhibit low overpotential values and fast reaction kinetics to achieve high catalytic performance. While platinum (Pt) remains the benchmark catalyst due to its ideal hydrogen adsorption energy, high electrical conductivity, and superior chemical stability, further innovations are essential. This review summarizes recent advances in Pt-based HER catalysts, focusing on two primary design strategies: metal-level engineering and support-level engineering. These approaches allow for precise control over electronic structures, active site distributions, and interfacial properties, paving the way for next-generation HER electrocatalysts.