Electrocatalytic Coenhancement of Bimetallic Polyphthalocyanine‐Anchored Ru Nanoclusters Enabling Efficient Overall Water Splitting at Ampere‐Level Current Densities

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. e2306274 - n/a
• Main Authors: Chen, Hao, Ding, Rong, Liu, Bo‐Wen, Zeng, Fu‐Rong, Zhao, Hai‐Bo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Bimetals; Current density; Density functional theory; Electrocatalysts; electrocatalytic coenhancement; Hydrogen evolution reactions; Hydrogen production; industrial conditions; metal polyphthalocyanine; Nanoclusters; overall water splitting; Oxygen evolution reactions; Stability; ultrafine clusters; Water splitting; industrial conditions; ultrafine clusters; electrocatalytic coenhancement; metal polyphthalocyanine; overall water splitting
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306274

Efficient electrocatalysts capable of operating continuously at industrial ampere‐level current densities are crucial for large‐scale applications of electrocatalytic water decomposition for hydrogen production. However, long‐term industrial overall water splitting using a single electrocatalyst remains a major challenge. Here, bimetallic polyphthalocyanine (FeCoPPc)‐anchored Ru nanoclusters, an innovative electrocatalyst comprising the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) active Ru and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) active FeCoPPc, engineered for efficient overall water splitting are demonstrated. By density functional theory calculations and systematic experiments, the electrocatalytic coenhancement effect resulting from unique charge redistribution, which synergistically boosts the HER activity of Ru and the OER activity of FeCoPPc by optimizing the adsorption energy of intermediates, is unveiled. As a result, even at a large current density of 2.0 A cm−2, the catalyst exhibits low overpotentials of 220 and 308 mV, respectively, for HER and OER. It exhibits excellent stability, requiring only 1.88 V of cell voltage to achieve a current density of 2.0 A cm−2 in a 6.0 m KOH electrolyte at 70 °C, with a remarkable operational stability of over 100 h. This work provides a new electrocatalytic coenhancement strategy for the design and synthesis of electrocatalyst, paving the way for industrial‐scale overall water splitting applications. Here, an innovative electrocatalyst, bimetallic polyphthalocyanine (FeCoPPc)‐anchored Ru nanoclusters, designed for efficient overall water splitting under industrial conditions is demonstrated. This electrocatalyst uses the unique electrocatalytic coenhancement effect, resulting from unique charge redistribution, optimizes the desorption of hydrogen by Ru in hydrogen evolution reaction process and reduces the energy barrier of OOH* formation, achieving outstanding industrial overall water splitting performance.