High efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution catalyzed by W2COx-Ru composite system containing bridged oxygen

The design of low-cost and high-performance hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts with small overpotentials under alkaline conditions to replace the high-cost platinum catalysts still faces obstacles. Here, we report a two-component catalytic system consisting of Ru-clusters supported on oxyanion-terminated W2COx, which makes it possible to generate unusual hydrogen under alkaline conditions by the kinetically fast Volmer-Tafel mechanism. The principal characteristic of the catalyst is that the two components are interconnected by an O bridge, which is used for rapid adsorption of the hydrogen intermediate generated during water dissociation and transfer it to W2COx. Because of this unique interface environment, the relayed H* combines and desorbs directly on the W2COx, creating the H2 through an unusual route of Tafel. The bridging O in the catalyst acts as a reversible adsorption and transport intermediate for H*, assuring the magnificent and sustainable HER performance of the material.