Synergistic niobium and manganese co-doping into RuO2 nanocrystal enables PEM water splitting under high current

Bichen Yuan, Qian Dang, Hai Liu, Marshet Getaye Sendeku, Jian Peng, Yameng Fan, Liang Cai, Aiqing Cao, Shiyao Chen, Hui Li, Yun Kuang, Fengmei Wang () and Xiaoming Sun ()
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Bichen Yuan: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Qian Dang: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Hai Liu: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Marshet Getaye Sendeku: Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen
Jian Peng: Western University
Yameng Fan: University of Wollongong
Liang Cai: Tokyo Institute of Technology
Aiqing Cao: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Shiyao Chen: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Hui Li: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Yun Kuang: Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen
Fengmei Wang: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Xiaoming Sun: Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Low-cost ruthenium-based catalysts with high activity have emerged as promising alternatives to iridium-based counterparts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE), but the poor stability under high current density remains as a key challenge. Here, we utilize the synergistic complementary strategy of introducing earth-abundant Mn and Nb dopants in ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) for Nb0.1Mn0.1Ru0.8O2 nanoparticle electrocatalyst that exhibits a low overpotential of 209 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and good stability of > 400 h at 0.2 A cm−2 in 0.5 M H2SO4. Significantly, a PEMWE device fabricated with Nb0.1Mn0.1Ru0.8O2 anode can operate continuously at least for 1000 h at 0.5 A cm−2 with 59 μV h−1 decay rate. Operando Raman spectroscopy analysis, differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy measurements, X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis and theoretical calculations indicate that OER reaction on Nb0.1Mn0.1Ru0.8O2 primarily follows the adsorbate evolution mechanism with much favorable energy barrier accompanied by a locally passivated lattice oxygen mechanism (AEM-LPLOM) and the co-existed Nb and Mn in RuO2 crystal lattice could not only stabilize the lattice oxygen, but also relieve the valence state fluctuation of Ru site to stabilize the catalyst during the reaction.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59710-5

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