RuP nanoparticles on ordered macroporous hollow nitrogen-doped carbon spheres for efficient hydrogen evolution...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Efficient electrocatalysts are crucial for water splitting.
• Earth-abundant and stable alternatives to precious metals are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate Ruthenium Phosphide (RuP and Ru2P) nanoparticles on ordered macroporous N-doped carbon hollow spheres (H-NC).
• To evaluate the electrocatalytic performance of RuP/H-NC and Ru2P/H-NC for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Main Methods:

• Space-confined pyrolysis for catalyst synthesis.
• Electrochemical testing in alkaline electrolyte.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations.

Main Results:

• RuP/H-NC exhibited Pt-like HER activity with a low overpotential of 19 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 M KOH.
• The catalyst demonstrated excellent durability.
• DFT calculations indicated RuP has superior intrinsic activity compared to Ru2P.

Conclusions:

• RuP/H-NC is a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for water splitting.
• The macroporous structure, increased active sites, and synergistic effects contribute to enhanced performance.
• RuP is a promising Earth-abundant alternative for HER catalysis.