Oxygen Radical Coupling on Short-Range Ordered Ru Atom Arrays Enables Exceptional Activity and Stability for Acidic Water Oxidation

The discovery of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acid is vital for the commercialization of the proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer. In this work, we demonstrate that short-range Ru atom arrays with near-ideal Ru–Ru interatomic distances and a unique Ru–O hybridization state can trigger direct O*–O* radical coupling to form an intermediate O*–O*-Ru configuration during acidic OER without generating OOH* species. Further, the Ru atom arrays suppress the participation of lattice oxygen in the OER and the dissolution of active Ru. Benefiting from these advantages, the as-designed Ru array-Co3O4 electrocatalyst breaks the activity/stability trade-off that…

• RS
  Royal Society Te Apārangi
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 51973200, 52202050, 52122308, 21905253
• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Award: 2022TQ0286
• MO
  Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

  Awards: C05X2007, UOCX2118
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province

  Award: 202300410372