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Ultralow-Iridium-Stabilized Ruthenium-Based Alloy/Oxide Catalysts for Durable Acidic Water Oxidation
Zexuan Wu1, Yanxiao Wan1, Chenxuan Xie1
1School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Power Station Energy Transfer Conversion and System of Ministry of Education, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|August 10, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel Ir and Mn co-doped Ru/RuO2 catalyst for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). The new catalyst suppresses degradation, enhances activity, and significantly lowers hydrogen production costs, advancing renewable energy integration.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is key for renewable energy but faces challenges with expensive Ir catalysts and unstable Ru alternatives.
- Ruthenium (Ru)-based catalysts degrade via the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM), limiting their application in oxygen evolution reactions (OER).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly active and stable catalyst for PEMWE by addressing the limitations of current OER catalysts.
- To engineer a Ru-based catalyst that suppresses LOM degradation and enhances overall performance.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of an Ir and Mn co-doped Ru/RuO2 heterostructure (IM-Ru/RuO2) using a metal-organic framework sacrificial template.
- Characterization using in situ differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations.
- Integration of the catalyst into a PEMWE device to evaluate performance.
Main Results:
- The IM-Ru/RuO2 catalyst demonstrated an overpotential of 182 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and stability over 600 hours.
- The OER mechanism shifted from LOM to an enhanced adsorbate evolution mechanism due to synergistic Ir-Mn doping.
- The PEMWE device with ultralow noble-metal loadings achieved 1.640 V at 1 A cm-2 and operated stably for 450 hours.
Conclusions:
- The developed IM-Ru/RuO2 catalyst offers a promising solution for efficient and durable PEMWE.
- The electronic and structural engineering strategy provides a pathway for advancing Ru-based catalysts for large-scale renewable hydrogen production.
- The catalyst enables a hydrogen production cost below US DOE 2031 targets.