Stabilizing ruthenium dioxide with cation-anchored sulfate for durable oxygen evolution in proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers

Yanrong Xue, Jiwu Zhao, Liang Huang, Ying-Rui Lu, Abdul Malek, Ge Gao, Zhongbin Zhuang, Dingsheng Wang, Cafer T. Yavuz and Xu Lu ()
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Yanrong Xue: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Jiwu Zhao: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Liang Huang: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Ying-Rui Lu: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center
Abdul Malek: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Ge Gao: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Zhongbin Zhuang: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Dingsheng Wang: Tsinghua University
Cafer T. Yavuz: Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPM), PSE, KAUST
Xu Lu: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Ruthenium dioxide is the most promising alternative to the prevailing but expensive iridium-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers. However, the under-coordinated lattice oxygen of ruthenium dioxide is prone to over-oxidation, and oxygen vacancies are formed at high oxidation potentials under acidic corrosive conditions. Consequently, ruthenium atoms adjacent to oxygen vacancies are oxidized into soluble high-valence derivatives, causing the collapse of the ruthenium dioxide crystal structure and leading to its poor stability. Here, we report an oxyanion protection strategy to prevent the formation of oxygen vacancies on the ruthenium dioxide surface by forming coordination-saturated lattice oxygen. Combining density functional theory calculations, electrochemical measurements, and a suite of operando spectroscopies, we showcase that barium-anchored sulfate can greatly impede ruthenium loss and extend the lifetime of ruthenium-based catalysts during acidic oxygen evolution, while maintaining the activity. This work paves a new way for designing stable and active anode catalysts toward acidic water splitting.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43977-7

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