Synergizing RuO₂ with Fe-doped Co₂RuO₄ for boosting alkaline electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction

Designing and development of electrocatalysts with high catalytic capacity and stability for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is significant for sustainable water splitting. In this study, we rationally designed Fe-doped Co₂RuO₄/RuO₂ heterostructure electrocatalysts on nickel foam (NF) through mixture hydrothermal, ion exchanging, and calcining methods. The synergistic effect between the Fe-Co₂RuO₄/RuO₂ heterogeneous interfaces can result in superior inherent activity. Meanwhile, the unique nanosheet on nanosheet structure delivers abundant exposed active sites, leading to improved catalytic activity. The resultant Fe-Co₂RuO₄/RuO₂ heterostructured catalysts possessed superior OER property, attaining a current density of 50 mA cm^-2 with only 253 mV overpotential in 1.0 M KOH alkaline solution, and demonstrating good durability with continuous operation for up to 50 h. This research provides robust support for the research and development of RuO₂-based electrocatalysts through effective interface engineering and doping strategies, and opens up new avenues for the industrial application of water splitting technology.