Interfacial carbon makes nano‐particulate RuO2 an efficient, stable, pH‐universal catalyst for splitting of seawater

Fang, F. et al. (2022) Interfacial carbon makes nano‐particulate RuO2 an efficient, stable, pH‐universal catalyst for splitting of seawater. Small, 18(42), 2203778. (doi: 10.1002/smll.202203778) (PMID:36103609)

Abstract

An electrocatalyst composed of RuO2 surrounded by interfacial carbon, is synthesized through controllable oxidization-calcination. This electrocatalyst provides efficient charge transfer, numerous active sites, and promising activity for pH-universal electrocatalytic overall seawater splitting. An electrolyzer with this catalyst gives current densities of 10 mA cm−2 at a record low cell voltage of 1.52 V, and shows excellent durability at current densities of 10 mA cm−2 for up to 100 h. Based on the results, a mechanism for the catalytic activity of the composite is proposed. Finally, a solar-driven system is assembled and used for overall seawater splitting, showing 95% Faraday efficiency.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51861135313), Sino-German Centre's COVID-19 Related Bilateral Collaborative project (C-0046), National 111 project (B20002), Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT_15R52), Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (JCYJ20210324142010029, GJHZ20210705143204014), Guangdong Province International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Projects (2020A0505100036), and Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2019A1515110435, 2021A1515111131, 2022A1515010137, 2022A1515010504). KIO thanks the NRF (113638) and South Africa’s National Research Foundation through the SARChI Chair in Materials Electrochemistry and Energy Technologies (132739). MDS thanks the Royal Society for a University Research Fellowship (UF150104). DC acknowledge support of the Prime Minister’s Fuel-Choice Initiative, within the framework of the “Israel National Research Center for Electrochemical Propulsion” (INREP), funded by the Planning & Budgeting Commitee of the Israel Council for Higher Education (CHE). We thank the Nanostructure Research Centre (NRC) for the S/TEM work.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Symes, Professor Mark
• Authors: Fang, F., Wang, Y., Shen, L.‐W., Tian, G., Cahen, D., Xiao, Y.‐X., Chen, J.‐B., Wu, S.‐M., He, L., Ozoemena, K. I., Symes, M. D., and Yang, X.‐Y.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Small
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1613-6810
• ISSN (Online): 1613-6829
• Published Online: 14 September 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 Wiley
• First Published: First published in Small 18(42):2203778
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher