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Ruthenium atomically dispersed in carbon outperforms platinum toward hydrogen evolution in alkaline media

Author

Listed:
  • Bingzhang Lu

    (University of California)

  • Lin Guo

    (University of California
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Feng Wu

    (University of California)

  • Yi Peng

    (University of California)

  • Jia En Lu

    (University of California)

  • Tyler J. Smart

    (University of California)

  • Nan Wang

    (South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center)

  • Y. Zou Finfrock

    (Canadian Light Source Inc.
    Argonne National Laboratory)

  • David Morris

    (Dalhousie University)

  • Peng Zhang

    (Dalhousie University)

  • Ning Li

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Peng Gao

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Collaborative Innovation Centre of Quantum Matter)

  • Yuan Ping

    (University of California)

  • Shaowei Chen

    (University of California
    South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center)

Abstract

Hydrogen evolution reaction is an important process in electrochemical energy technologies. Herein, ruthenium and nitrogen codoped carbon nanowires are prepared as effective hydrogen evolution catalysts. The catalytic performance is markedly better than that of commercial platinum catalyst, with an overpotential of only −12 mV to reach the current density of 10 mV cm-2 in 1 M KOH and −47 mV in 0.1 M KOH. Comparisons with control experiments suggest that the remarkable activity is mainly ascribed to individual ruthenium atoms embedded within the carbon matrix, with minimal contributions from ruthenium nanoparticles. Consistent results are obtained in first-principles calculations, where RuCxNy moieties are found to show a much lower hydrogen binding energy than ruthenium nanoparticles, and a lower kinetic barrier for water dissociation than platinum. Among these, RuC2N2 stands out as the most active catalytic center, where both ruthenium and adjacent carbon atoms are the possible active sites.

Suggested Citation

  • Bingzhang Lu & Lin Guo & Feng Wu & Yi Peng & Jia En Lu & Tyler J. Smart & Nan Wang & Y. Zou Finfrock & David Morris & Peng Zhang & Ning Li & Peng Gao & Yuan Ping & Shaowei Chen, 2019. "Ruthenium atomically dispersed in carbon outperforms platinum toward hydrogen evolution in alkaline media," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-08419-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08419-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Hao Tan & Bing Tang & Ying Lu & Qianqian Ji & Liyang Lv & Hengli Duan & Na Li & Yao Wang & Sihua Feng & Zhi Li & Chao Wang & Fengchun Hu & Zhihu Sun & Wensheng Yan, 2022. "Engineering a local acid-like environment in alkaline medium for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Hongming Sun & Zhenhua Yan & Caiying Tian & Cha Li & Xin Feng & Rong Huang & Yinghui Lan & Jing Chen & Cheng-Peng Li & Zhihong Zhang & Miao Du, 2022. "Bixbyite-type Ln2O3 as promoters of metallic Ni for alkaline electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Fengyi Shen & Zhihao Zhang & Zhe Wang & Hao Ren & Xinhu Liang & Zengjian Cai & Shitu Yang & Guodong Sun & Yanan Cao & Xiaoxin Yang & Mingzhen Hu & Zhengping Hao & Kebin Zhou, 2024. "Oxophilic Ce single atoms-triggered active sites reverse for superior alkaline hydrogen evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Jiadong Chen & Chunhong Chen & Minkai Qin & Ben Li & Binbin Lin & Qing Mao & Hongbin Yang & Bin Liu & Yong Wang, 2022. "Reversible hydrogen spillover in Ru-WO3-x enhances hydrogen evolution activity in neutral pH water splitting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Kaian Sun & Xueyan Wu & Zewen Zhuang & Leyu Liu & Jinjie Fang & Lingyou Zeng & Junguo Ma & Shoujie Liu & Jiazhan Li & Ruoyun Dai & Xin Tan & Ke Yu & Di Liu & Weng-Chon Cheong & Aijian Huang & Yunqi Li, 2022. "Interfacial water engineering boosts neutral water reduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Dong Liu & Tao Ding & Lifeng Wang & Huijuan Zhang & Li Xu & Beibei Pang & Xiaokang Liu & Huijuan Wang & Junhui Wang & Kaifeng Wu & Tao Yao, 2023. "In situ constructing atomic interface in ruthenium-based amorphous hybrid-structure towards solar hydrogen evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Jiachen Li & Yuqiang Ma & Cong Zhang & Chi Zhang & Huijun Ma & Zhaoqi Guo & Ning Liu & Ming Xu & Haixia Ma & Jieshan Qiu, 2023. "Green electrosynthesis of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan energetic materials coupled with energy-efficient hydrogen production over Pt-based catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

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