Alkali metal doped ruthenium dioxide nanosheets with lattice distortion as highly active oxygen evolution electrocatalysts in acidic media

• Published in: CrystEngComm Vol. 25; no. 16; pp. 2473 - 2478
• Main Authors: Tang, Hai, Kong, Ming, Cao, Wenwen, Ma, Wenguang, Ding, Jianjun, Shi, Chuanxin, Yang, Xiaodong, Shen, Qi, Sun, Yiqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 24.04.2023
• Subjects: Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Electrocatalysts; Lithium; Nanosheets; Oxygen evolution reactions; Ruthenium; Ruthenium oxide
• ISSN: 1466-8033; 1466-8033
• DOI: 10.1039/d3ce00168g

Developing economic and acid-compatible oxygen evolution electrocatalysts is vital for their practical application in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers, which has drawn worldwide attention. Herein, Li doped RuO 2 NSs with abundant lattice distortions were successfully prepared and used as highly active and durable oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. In particular, Li doped RuO 2 NS electrodes exhibit excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity under acidic conditions with a low overpotential of 169 mV at 10 mA cm −2 , which is about a 20-fold enhancement in catalytic activity in comparison with pristine RuO 2 . As evidenced by HRTEM and EDLC measurements, the enhancement is mainly due to the incorporation of extraneous Li atoms in RuO 2 induced rich lattice distortions and increased active site exposure. This work may provide a simple avenue for the synthesis of efficient acidic OER catalysts. Developing economic and acid-compatible oxygen evolution electrocatalysts is vital for their practical application in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers, which has drawn worldwide attention.