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Interfacial water engineering boosts neutral water reduction

Author

Listed:
  • Kaian Sun

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Xueyan Wu

    (Xinjiang University)

  • Zewen Zhuang

    (Tsinghua University
    Fuzhou University)

  • Leyu Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Jinjie Fang

    (Beijing University of Chemical Technology)

  • Lingyou Zeng

    (China University of Petroleum (East China))

  • Junguo Ma

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Shoujie Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Jiazhan Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Ruoyun Dai

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Xin Tan

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Ke Yu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Di Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Weng-Chon Cheong

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Aijian Huang

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Yunqi Liu

    (China University of Petroleum (East China))

  • Yuan Pan

    (China University of Petroleum (East China))

  • Hai Xiao

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Chen Chen

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in neutral media is of great practical importance for sustainable hydrogen production, but generally suffers from low activities, the cause of which has been a puzzle yet to be solved. Herein, by investigating the synergy between Ru single atoms (RuNC) and RuSex cluster compounds (RuSex) for HER using ab initio molecular dynamics, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and operando surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, we establish that the interfacial water governs neutral HER. The rigid interfacial water layer in neutral media would inhibit the transport of H2O*/OH* at the electrode/electrolyte interface of RuNC, but the RuSex can promote H2O*/OH* transport to increase the number of available H2O* on RuNC by disordering the interfacial water network. With the synergy of RuSex and RuNC, the resulting neutral HER performance in terms of mass-specific activity is 6.7 times higher than that of 20 wt.% Pt/C at overpotential of 100 mV.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33984-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33984-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Chenhui Zhou & Jia Shi & Zhaoqi Dong & Lingyou Zeng & Yan Chen & Ying Han & Lu Li & Wenyu Zhang & Qinghua Zhang & Lin Gu & Fan Lv & Mingchuan Luo & Shaojun Guo, 2024. "Oxophilic gallium single atoms bridged ruthenium clusters for practical anion-exchange membrane electrolyzer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Linjie Zhang & Haihui Hu & Chen Sun & Dongdong Xiao & Hsiao-Tsu Wang & Yi Xiao & Shuwen Zhao & Kuan Hung Chen & Wei-Xuan Lin & Yu-Cheng Shao & Xiuyun Wang & Chih-Wen Pao & Lili Han, 2024. "Bimetallic nanoalloys planted on super-hydrophilic carbon nanocages featuring tip-intensified hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Rui Yao & Kaian Sun & Kaiyang Zhang & Yun Wu & Yujie Du & Qiang Zhao & Guang Liu & Chen Chen & Yuhan Sun & Jinping Li, 2024. "Stable hydrogen evolution reaction at high current densities via designing the Ni single atoms and Ru nanoparticles linked by carbon bridges," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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