Synthesis of Hierarchical 4H/fcc Ru Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Media

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 14; no. 30; pp. e1801090 - n/a
• Main Authors: Lu, Qipeng, Wang, An‐Liang, Cheng, Hongfei, Gong, Yue, Yun, Qinbai, Yang, Nailiang, Li, Bing, Chen, Bo, Zhang, Qinghua, Zong, Yun, Gu, Lin, Zhang, Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Catalysis; Copper; Electrocatalysts; Gold; hierarchical structures; hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen evolution reactions; Nanorods; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Nanowires; Platinum; Ruthenium; nanotubes; hydrogen evolution; electrocatalysts; hierarchical structures
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201801090

Hierarchical metal nanostructures containing 1D nanobuilding blocks have stimulated great interest due to their abundant active sites for catalysis. Herein, hierarchical 4H/face‐centered cubic (fcc) Ru nanotubes (NTs) are synthesized by a hard template‐mediated method, in which 4H/fcc Au nanowires (NWs) serve as sacrificial templates which are then etched by copper ions (Cu2+) in dimethylformamide. The obtained hierarchical 4H/fcc Ru NTs contain ultrathin Ru shells (5–9 atomic layers) and tiny Ru nanorods with length of 4.2 ± 1.1 nm and diameter of 2.2 ± 0.5 nm vertically decorated on the surface of Ru shells. As an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media, the hierarchical 4H/fcc Ru NTs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance, which is better than 4H/fcc Au‐Ru NWs, commercial Pt/C, Ru/C, and most of the reported electrocatalysts. Hierarchical 4H/face‐centered cubic Ru nanotubes are synthesized by a hard template‐mediated method. These obtained nanotubes exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media.