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Hierarchical Architectures Based on Ru Nanoparticles/Oxygen‐Rich‐Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution
Author(s) -
Ding Ruifu,
Lin Longjie,
Pei Chengang,
Yu Xu,
Sun Qijun,
Park Ho Seok
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.202101108
Subject(s) - tafel equation , overpotential , oxygen evolution , catalysis , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , carbon nanotube , water splitting , electrolyte , materials science , chemistry , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , engineering
Highly active and durable electrocatalysts are essential for producing hydrogen fuel through the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, a uniform deposition of Ru nanoparticles strongly interacting with oxygen‐rich carbon nanotube architectures (Ru‐OCNT) through ozonation and hydrothermal approaches has been designed. The hierarchical structure of Ru‐OCNT is made by self‐assembly of oxygen functionalities of OCNT. Ru nanoparticles interact strongly with OCNT at the Ru/OCNT interface to give excellent catalytic activity and stability of the Ru‐OCNT, as further confirmed by density functional theory. Owing to the hierarchical structure and adjusted surface chemistry, Ru‐OCNT has an overpotential of 34 mV at 10 mA cm −2 with a Tafel slope of 27.8 mV dec −1 in 1 M KOH, and an overpotential of 55 mV with Tafel slope of 33 mV dec −1 in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 . The smaller Tafel slope of Ru‐OCNT than Ru‐CNT and commercial Pt/C in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes indicates high catalytic activity and fast charge transfer kinetics. The as‐proposed chemistry provides the rational design of hierarchically structured CNT/nanoparticle electrocatalysts for HER to produce hydrogen fuel.