Abstract Development of high‐performance, low‐cost catalysts for electrochemical water splitting is key to sustainable hydrogen production. Herein, ultrafast synthesis of carbon‐supported ruthenium–copper (RuCu/C) nanocomposites is reported by magnetic induction heating, where the rapid Joule's heating of RuCl3and CuCl2at 200 A for 10 s produces Ru–Cl residues‐decorated Ru nanocrystals dispersed on a CuClxscaffold, featuring effective Ru to Cu charge transfer. Among the series, the RuCu/C‐3 sample exhibits the best activity in 1 mKOH toward both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with an overpotential of only −23 and +270 mV to reach 10 mA cm−2, respectively. When RuCu/C‐3 is used as bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, a low cell voltage of 1.53 V is needed to produce 10 mA cm−2, markedly better than that with a mixture of commercial Pt/C+RuO2(1.59 V). In situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy measurements show that the bifunctional activity is due to reduction of the Ru–Cl residues at low electrode potentials that enriches metallic Ru and oxidation at high electrode potentials that facilitates the formation of amorphous RuOx. These findings highlight the unique potential of MIH in the ultrafast synthesis of high‐performance catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.
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Block copolymer-mediated synthesis of TiO2/RuO2 nanocomposite for efficient oxygen evolution reaction
Abstract An amphiphilic block copolymer, poly (styrene-2-polyvinyl pyridine-ethylene oxide), was used as a structure-directing and stabilizing agent to synthesize TiO2/RuO2nanocomposite. The strong interaction of polymers with metal precursors led to formation of a porous heterointerface of TiO2/RuO2. It acted as a bridge for electron transport, which can accelerate the water splitting reaction. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersiveX-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, andX-ray diffraction analysis of TiO2/RuO2samples revealed successful fabrication of TiO2/RuO2nanocomposites. The TiO2/RuO2nanocomposites were used to measure electrochemical water splitting in three-electrode systems in 0.1-M KOH. Electrochemical activities unveil that TiO2/RuO2-150 nanocomposites displayed superior oxygen evolution reaction activity, having a low overpotential of 260 mV with a Tafel slope of 80 mVdec−1. Graphical abstract
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- Award ID(s):
- 2122067
- PAR ID:
- 10562182
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Materials Science
- Volume:
- 59
- Issue:
- 23
- ISSN:
- 0022-2461
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 10193 to 10206
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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