Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications
Published on: June 21, 2017
Dual-Site Activation of High-Entropy Alloy Electrocatalysts via Ruthenium-Induced Electron Transfer for Alkaline
Seongje Lim1, Jae Won Choi2, Gyu Yong Jang1,3
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
None:
Hydrogen evolution in alkaline media is kinetically limited by sluggish water dissociation, requiring catalysts that can accelerate both H2O activation and proton adsorption. Here, ruthenium-incorporated high-entropy alloys (Ru-HEAs) are developed as efficient alkaline HER electrocatalysts by exploiting Ru-driven electron redistribution within a multi-metallic lattice. Spectroscopic analyses show that electronegative Ru atoms withdraw electrons from neighboring Co and Ni atoms, shifting them to higher oxidation states and modifying their local electronic environments. This electronic modulation activates Co/Ni sites simultaneously. DFT calculations confirm that Co and Ni serve as the dominant adsorption centers, and that Ru incorporation alters their d-band centers to lower both the thermodynamic and kinetic barriers of water dissociation while shifting hydrogen adsorption toward near-thermoneutral energetics. As a result, Ru-HEA/C delivers a low overpotential of only 29 mV at 10 mA cm- 2 and a Tafel slope of 67.8 mV dec- 1 with high Ru mass activity, outperforming pristine HEA and commercial Ru/C despite its low Ru loading. These findings clarify the role of Ru atoms in a high-entropy environment as an electronic modulator that triggers dual-site activation rather than merely providing additional active sites. This work establishes a generalizable design principle for HEA electrocatalysts optimized for alkaline hydrogen evolution.
More Related Videos
12:08Catalytic Reactions at Amine-Stabilized and Ligand-Free Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Titania During Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Aldehydes
Published on: June 24, 2022
08:40Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Catalysis
Catalysis
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.