Work

Regulating Ru–Ru Distance in RuO 2 Catalyst by Lattice Hydroxyl for Efficient Water Oxidation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Highly active and durable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucial for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). While doped RuO 2 catalysts demonstrate good activity and stability, the presence of dopants limits the number of exposed active sites and complicates Ru recovery. Here, we present a monometallic RuO 2 (d-RuO 2 ) with lattice hydroxyl in the periodic structure as a high-performance OER electrocatalyst. The obtained d-RuO 2 catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of 150 mV and long-term operational stability of 500 h at 10 mA cm –2, outperforming many Ru/Ir-based oxides ever reported. A PEMWE device using d-RuO 2 sustains operation for 348 h at 200 mA cm –2 . In-situ characterization reveals that the incorporation of lattice hydroxyl increases the Ru–Ru distance, which facilitates the turnover of the Ru oxidation state and promotes the formation of stable edge-sharing [RuO 6 ] octahedra during the OER, thereby accelerating the formation of O–O bonds and suppressing the overoxidation of Ru sites. Additionally, the small particle size of the catalyst decreases the three-phase contact line and promotes bubble release. This study will provide insights into the design and optimization of catalysts for various electrochemical reactions.

Source: ACS Nano

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c01937