Cited by 1,004Electrocatalysts for Energy ConversionFuel Cells and Related MaterialsCatalytic Processes in Materials Science

Non-iridium-based electrocatalyst for durable acidic oxygen evolution reaction in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

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Wu, Zhen-Yu, Chen, Feng-Yang, Li, Boyang, Yu, Shen-Wei, Finfrock, Y. Zou, Meira, Debora Motta, Yan, Qiang-Qiang, Zhu, Peng +7 more·2023·Nature Materials

Abstract

Iridium-based electrocatalysts remain the only practical anode catalysts for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis, due to their excellent stability under acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but are greatly limited by their high cost and low reserves. Here, we report a nickel-stabilized, ruthenium dioxide (Ni-RuO 2) catalyst, a promising alternative to iridium, with high activity and durability in acidic OER for PEM water electrolysis. While pristine RuO 2 showed poor acidic OER stability and degraded within a short period of continuous operation, the incorporation of Ni greatly stabilized the RuO 2 lattice and extended its durability by more than one order of magnitude. When applied to the anode of a PEM water electrolyser, our Ni-RuO 2 catalyst demonstrated >1,000 h stability under a water-splitting current of 200 mA cm-2, suggesting potential for practical applications. Density functional theory studies, coupled with operando differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy analysis, confirmed the adsorbate-evolving mechanism on Ni-RuO 2, as well as the critical role of Ni dopants in stabilization of surface Ru and subsurface oxygen for improved OER durability.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41563-022-01380-5

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  • Introduction of some transition metals (Mn, Ni, Nb, Rh) into RuO2 can significantly improve the electrocatalytic activity and stability toward OER in acidic conditions by reducing the adsorption of oxygen intermediates on active Ru sites.

    “recent studies have shown that the introduction of some transition metals (Mn, Ni, Nb, Rh) into RuO2 can significantly improve the electrocatalytic activity and stability toward OER in acidic conditions by reducing the adsorption of oxygen intermediates on active Ru sites.[ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]”

    From Highly Active and Stable Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalyst Based on Ir‐Incorporated Partially Oxidized Ru Aerogel under Industrial‐Level Current Density (2024) · cites this paper as [26]

    The Main Text and the section ‘Electrochemical characterizations on RDE in acidic electrolyte’ report improved acidic OER activity and durability for Ni-doped RuO2. They attribute the durability improvement to stabilizing surface Ru and lattice oxygen, not to reduced adsorption of oxygen intermediates. The paper does not establish the claimed improvements for Nb or Rh; its reference list mentions Mn-doped RuO2, but the findings presented here concern Ni. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Wu, Z.-Y., Chen, F.-Y., Li, B., Yu, S.-W., Finfrock, Y. Z., Meira, D. M., Yan, Q.-Q., Zhu, P., Chen, M.-X., Song, T.-W., Yin, Z., Liang, H.-W., Zhang, S., Wang, G., & Wang, H.
Affiliations
  • Rice University (US)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • University of Virginia (US)
  • Argonne National Laboratory (US)
  • Canadian Light Source (Canada) (CA)
  • University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Zhang, Sen
  • Wang, Guofeng
  • Wang, Haotian
Venue
Nature Materials
Published
2022-10-20
Volume
22
Issue
1
Pages
100-108
ISSN
  • 1476-1122 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4660
OpenAlex
W4306888855
Cited by
1,004
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 214 · 2025: 339 · 2024: 305 · 2023: 143 · 2022: 3
FWCI
35.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Materials (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (DE-AC02–06CH11357, 2004808, 1905572)
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DE‐ AC02‐06CH11357, AC02‐06CH11357, 06CH11357, DE-AC02-)
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Office of Science (AC02‐06CH11357, DE-AC02, 06CH11357, DE-AC02-06CH11357)
  • Center for Research Computing, University of Pittsburgh
  • Division of Materials Research (DE-AC02-06CH11357, DMR 1905572, 1905572)
  • Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (2004808, CBET-2004808)
  • Argonne National Laboratory (DE- AC02-06-CH11357, DE-AC02, AC02–06CH11357, 06CH11357)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Fuel Cells and Related Materials
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Catalytic Processes in Materials Science
Keywords
oxygen evolution reaction, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, RuO2, nickel doping, iridium-free electrocatalysts, catalyst stability, anode catalysts, acidic electrocatalysis, water splitting

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