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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
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Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
Published on: March 10, 2023
Phase-Engineered Ru-MoC Heterointerfaces for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution by Boosting Interfacial Water
Xue Bai1, Biao Feng1, Jiyao Huang1
1State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE School of Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 23, 2026
Summary
Ruthenium catalysts show improved alkaline hydrogen evolution (HER) by using molybdenum carbide nanoclusters on nitrogen-doped carbon. This strategy suppresses intermediate poisoning, boosting efficiency for clean hydrogen production.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for sustainable hydrogen production.
- Ruthenium (Ru) catalysts are effective for HER but face limitations like high activation energy and active site poisoning by hydroxyl (OH*) intermediates.
- Molybdenum carbides (MoₓC) offer potential catalytic properties but require effective support and integration with active metals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop highly efficient and durable Ru-based catalysts for alkaline HER.
- To investigate the role of molybdenum carbide nanoclusters (MoC and Mo₂C) with distinct crystalline phases on hierarchical N-doped carbon nanocages (hNCNC) as supports for Ru catalysts.
- To elucidate the mechanism behind enhanced HER performance, focusing on water dissociation and intermediate poisoning mitigation.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of MoₓC nanoclusters (MoC, Mo₂C) supported on hierarchical N-doped carbon nanocages (hNCNC).
- Immobilization of Ru nanoclusters on MoₓC/hNCNC supports, controlling Ru cluster morphology (disordered vs. crystalline) based on MoₓC phase.
- Electrochemical characterization including overpotential, turnover frequency, and durability tests in 1.0 M KOH.
- Fabrication and testing of an anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis device.
- Theoretical calculations and in situ Raman spectroscopy to understand reaction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Ru-MoC/hNCNC catalysts exhibited superior alkaline HER performance with an ultralow overpotential of 20 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², a high turnover frequency of 21.8 H₂ s⁻¹, and excellent durability.
- Ru-Mo₂C/hNCNC catalysts showed significantly lower performance compared to Ru-MoC/hNCNC.
- The anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis device with a Ru-MoC/hNCNC cathode achieved an industrial-scale current density of 1 A cm⁻² at approximately 1.65 V.
- Theoretical and experimental results indicated that Ru-MoC heterointerfaces promote water dissociation and spatially decouple OH* and H* intermediates, mitigating Ru poisoning.
Conclusions:
- The synergistic effect between Ru and MoC at the heterointerface is key to enhancing alkaline HER performance.
- The proposed catalyst design effectively suppresses OH* poisoning of Ru active sites, leading to improved efficiency and durability.
- This work presents a promising strategy for developing advanced electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen production via water electrolysis.
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