Metal-organic frameworks derived RuP2 with yolk-shell structure and efficient performance for hydrogen evolution reaction in both acidic and alkaline media

Hydrogen generation from electrical water splitting has become a greatly increasing requirement for energy systems, however, highly effective and durable electrocatalysts towards universal-pH hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remain a big challenge. Herein, we design and synthesize ruthenium di-phosphide (RuP2) confined in carbon layers (RuP2-C) with a unique yolk-shell structure (RuP2-C@RuP2-C) from MOF. As expected, it not only exceeds the HER activity of Pt catalysts, with very tiny overpotentials at 10 mA cm(-2) (9 and 17 mV in 1.0 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4, individually), but also has high stability. Besides, it also exhibits a low overpotential (40 mV) close to Pt catalysts and high stability in 1.0 M PBS, indicating that RuP2-C@RuP2-C (RPC@RPC) owns outstanding HER performance at all pH values. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results further unravel that the P-site on the surface of RPC@RPC possesses low hydrogen adsorption energy, beneficial for boosting the HER activity.

Automated summary

Highly effective and durable electrocatalysts for universal-pH hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been achieved by designing and synthesizing ruthenium di-phosphide (RuP2) confined in carbon layers with a unique yolk-shell structure. The catalyst exhibits excellent HER performance surpassing that of Pt catalysts, with high stability.