A recent article published in Nature Chemical Engineering discusses a groundbreaking approach to hydrogen production through the development of a stable Pt/γ-Mo₂N catalyst with a rare-earth La oxide nano-overlay. The research team, led by Ding Ma and Wu Zhou, achieved remarkable results, including an outstanding turnover number (TON) of 15,300,000 molH2/molmetal and an apparent turnover frequency (ATOF) of 24,500 molH2/molmetal h–1. The catalyst, 1Pt/2La-Mo2N, maintained a high TON of 10,280,000 molH2/molmetal and an ATOF of 7,000 molH2/molmetal h–1 during 1,300 hours of continuous operation. The study highlighted the effectiveness of the inert La nano-overlay in protecting surface sites from oxidation and preventing aggregation of particles, thus ensuring long-term stability of the catalyst. The researchers also demonstrated the versatility of this approach by extending the use of the La nano-overlay to other rare-earth and non-rare-earth elements. These findings have significant implications for the development of high-activity interfacial catalysts with low noble metal loading. Overall, the study emphasizes the potential of this interfacial engineering strategy in advancing hydrogen production technologies and achieving a closed-loop hydrogen economy. By combining advanced characterization techniques and transient kinetic analysis, the researchers have laid the foundation for practical applications of these innovative catalysts in sustainable energy systems.