Ti₃C₂T MXene-supported ruthenium nanoclusters for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial but challenging.
• MXene (Ti3C2Tx) shows promise as a catalyst support due to its functional groups and hydrophilicity.
• Anchoring noble metals onto MXene for high-performance electrocatalysts faces challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel MXene nanoparticle-supported Ruthenium nanocluster (Ru@MXene-NP) electrocatalyst for HER.
• To enhance the stability and efficiency of HER catalysts by preventing self-stacking and ensuring full exposure of active sites.
• To investigate the catalytic performance and stability of the Ru@MXene-NP electrocatalyst in acidic media.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of MXene nanoparticle-supported Ruthenium nanoclusters (Ru@MXene-NP).
• Electrochemical characterization including overpotential, Tafel slope, and charge transfer resistance (Rct) measurements.
• Stability tests using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry.

Main Results:

• The Ru@MXene-NP catalyst exhibited an overpotential of 38.4 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and a Tafel slope of 26.4 mV dec⁻¹.
• Achieved superior HER performance compared to previously reported MXene-based catalysts.
• Demonstrated fast electron transfer (low Rct = 0.39 Ω) and high stability.

Conclusions:

• The Ru@MXene-NP catalyst offers a highly efficient and stable solution for the HER.
• Supporting noble metal nanoclusters on MXene substrates presents a promising strategy for catalyst design.
• This work provides a novel perspective for developing advanced electrocatalysts.