Novel ruthenium-based catalysts with atomic dispersion for oxygen evolution reaction in water electrolysis

This study introduces a method for fabricating ultra-high-performance catalysts designed for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), employing a combination of ball-milling, autoclave heat treatment procedures, and a two-step heat treatment approach. This method produces catalysts characterized by an atomic dispersion of ruthenium on nitrogen-doped carbon sheets (Ru–O/N–C–NH3). The Ru–O/N–C–NH3 catalyst exhibits exceptional OER activity in alkaline conditions, achieving a mass activity of 16842 A g−1Ru at 1.52 V, and a minimal overpotential of 290 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Moreover, this catalyst demonstrates enduring stability, showing no significant decay after a 100-h stability test in anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE), with a mass activity approximating 62000 A g−1PGM. This is nearly three orders of magnitude greater than the AEMWE that utilizes commercial IrO2 as an anode. The atomic dispersion and the Ru–O/N bonding of the catalyst are substantiated to contribute to the notable enhancement in OER activity.