New catalyst design makes green hydrogen production cheaper and more durable
Researchers have engineered a catalyst using rare earth elements that dramatically improves oxygen evolution—a critical step in water-splitting hydrogen production. The breakthrough cuts energy requirements and extends equipment lifespan, potentially lowering costs for industrial-scale green hydrogen facilities competing with fossil fuels.
Originaltitel: Lanthanides Regulate the Oxide Pathway Mechanism of RuO <sub>2</sub> to Boost Acidic Oxygen Evolution
Regulating the reaction pathway of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal in enhancing the activity and stability of RuO2-based catalysts. However, it remains challenging to achieve the desired oxide pathway mechanism (OPM) for RuO2-based catalysts. Herein, we use density functional theory calculations to predict that Sm doping can tune the OER pathway of RuO2 toward the OPM. We successfully synthesize various lanthanide-doped RuO2 catalysts and demonstrate an overpotential as low as 184 mV at 10 mA cm–2 for Sm-doped RuO2 supported on reduced graphene oxide (Sm-RuO2/rGO). Sm-RuO2/rGO exhibits a stable operation for over 200 h at 500 mA cm–2. In situ characterizations confirm the functionality of incorporated Sm atoms in triggering an OPM pathway for RuO2. Our work demonstrates an effective strategy to regulate the OER pathway of RuO2-based catalysts, enabling highly efficient and durable OER under acidic conditions and showing great promise for industrial applications.