Oxygen-deficient TiO2 and carbon coupling synergistically boost the activity of Ru nanoparticles for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

The limited reserves and sluggish H2O dissociation process of Pt necessitate the development of low-cost catalysts with enhanced catalytic performance in the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction. Here, Ru nanoparticles supported on oxygen-deficient TiO2@carbon hybrids (Ru/TiO2-V-O@C) were efficiently fabricated via one-pot carburization of RuCl3, TiO2(B) and melamine. The melamine additive assists the formation of oxygen vacancies (V-O) and Ru-0 and introduces a beneficial carbon dopant. Ru/TiO2-V-O@C features a remarkably enhanced alkaline HER performance with an overpotential of only 64 mV to attain a current density of 10 mA cm(-2). This satisfactory catalytic performance originates from the strong electronic interaction between Ru and TiO2-V-O and the synergistic interplay between TiO2-V-O and the carbon dopant. This synergistic cooperation improves the conductivity, promotes the dissociation of H2O and optimizes the hydrogen adsorption free energy. This study opens an avenue for the reasonable design of multi-component nanostructures and gives in-depth insights into the alkaline HER mechanism.

Automated summary

In this study, Ru nanoparticles supported on oxygen-deficient TiO2@carbon hybrids (Ru/TiO2-V-O@C) were efficiently fabricated for enhanced catalytic performance in the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction. The synergistic cooperation between Ru, TiO2-V-O, and carbon dopant improved conductivity, promoted water dissociation, and optimized hydrogen adsorption free energy. This research provides insights into the design of multi-component nanostructures and the mechanism of alkaline HER.