Ligand-Confinement-Induced Catalyst–Support Interface Interactions in Co3O4-Supported RuO2 for Long-Term Stable Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The proton exchange membrane (PEM) water hydrolyzer is crucial to promoting the sustainable development of hydrogen energy and facilitating large-scale energy transformation. However, achieving sustained and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic solutions presents a significant challenge for noniridium based electrocatalysts. Herein, we develop a Co3O4-supported RuO2 electrocatalyst with optimized catalyst–support interface interactions for breaking the activity–stability trade-off relationship in acidic OER. Through detailed electrochemical experiments and characterization analysis, we demonstrate that the crystal growth of Co3O4 support can be precisely regulated by modifying the ligand layer-confined domain of cobalt-based metal–organic frameworks (Co-MOF) precursor, thereby optimizing the RuO2/Co3O4 interface. Due to the weakened self-sacrifice effect of Co3O4, active heterogeneous interface electron interaction and impeccable support crystal coating effect, the acidic OER stability of RuO2/Co3O4–B3DC is significantly improved compared with RuO2 while preserving intrinsic activity. Theoretical modeling suggests that the formation of a RuO2/Co3O4 catalyst–support interface optimizes the adsorption energy of oxygen intermediates, promoting the oxygen evolution process. Additionally, the RuO2/Co3O4–B3DC anode demonstrates promising potential application in PEM electrolyzers and a variety of renewable energy-driven electrolytic cells.