Ruthenium-cobalt alloy nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on carbon nanotube films for high-performance...

Rational construction of highly active and long-life electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great significance for the development of renewable energy-related applications. Metal alloying is an effective method to improve the activity of electrocatalysts. Here, we report an efficient and stable freestanding film electrocatalyst (RuCo/CNT) consisting of uniformly loaded RuCo alloy on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) film. The overpotential of the catalyst at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 is 12.8 mV and 18 mV in 1 M KOH and simulated alkaline seawater, respectively. In addition, the catalyst has excellent stability, with almost no degradation of its performance after 5000 cycles. The uniform loading of RuCo alloy on the CNTs film network helps to accelerate electron transfer. Theoretical studies show that the addition of Ru regulates the electronic environment of Co atoms, thus optimizing the absorption/desorption of intermediates, reducing the hydrolytic ionization barrier, and thus improving the catalyst performance. This work provides feasible guidance for the design and development of high-performance HER electrocatalysts working for both purified water and seawater.