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Ru-anchored heterojunction catalyst: synergistic modulation of electronic structure for efficient hydrogen evolution
Rong Qin1, Yifan Tang2, Yunhu Han1,2
1Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China. iamyhhan@nwpu.edu.cn.
Nanoscale
|July 2, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new catalyst (Ru@MoS2/MoO2/Gr) for green hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). This platinum-free catalyst shows high activity and stability across various conditions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is crucial for green hydrogen production.
- Current PEMWE technology relies heavily on expensive platinum-based catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- Developing cost-effective and efficient alternatives is essential for widespread adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and construct a novel, platinum-free heterojunction catalyst for efficient HER.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of Ru nanoparticles and a MoS2/MoO2/graphene triphase heterojunction.
- To evaluate the catalyst's performance in various electrolytes and a practical PEMWE system.
Main Methods:
- A reduction-annealing strategy was employed to synthesize the Ru@MoS2/MoO2/Gr catalyst.
- Graphene (Gr) served as a conductive support.
- MoS2 was engineered to create sulfur vacancies, and MoO2 was formed in situ.
- Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) was utilized to enhance electron transfer.
Main Results:
- The Ru@MoS2/MoO2/Gr catalyst demonstrated excellent HER activity and stability in acidic, alkaline, and neutral media.
- A membrane electrode assembly using this catalyst achieved 1000 mA cm-2 at 2.08 V in PEMWE.
- The catalyst maintained stable operation for 250 hours in a practical PEMWE test.
Conclusions:
- The novel Ru@MoS2/MoO2/Gr catalyst offers a high-performance, stable, and cost-effective alternative to platinum for HER.
- The synergistic interplay between Ru, MoS2, MoO2, and graphene optimizes catalytic activity.
- This work provides a new strategy for developing universal water electrolysis catalysts for diverse operating conditions.
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