Synergistic Multi-Metal and Defect Engineering for High-Efficiency Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

• • The ZrVFeCoNi catalyst achieves an overpotential of 38 mV at 10 mA cm−2, outperforming most non-noble metal HER catalysts and approaching Pt/C performance, which is critical for reducing energy consumption in electrolyzers. • • The catalyst maintains stable operation for 1000 h at a high current density of 500 mA cm−2, demonstrating exceptional durability essential for industrial-scale water electrolysis, where long-term stability is a major bottleneck. • • The material cost is only 0.16% of Pt, offering a dramatic cost reduction that could make green hydrogen production economically viable, addressing the primary barrier to widespread adoption. • • In a full water electrolyzer (ZrVFeCoNi || IrO2/Ni), the system requires a cell voltage of 1.60 V to achieve 400 mA cm−2, indicating high efficiency for practical overall water splitting, which is crucial for reducing operational costs.