Ultrafast synthesis of nickel-ruthenium hydroxide ultrathin nanosheets decorated nickel sulfide with efficient overall water splitting

Nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) demonstrates exceptional charge transfer capabilities, positioning it as an ideal substrate for hosting active sites in water electrolysis. However, the development of such materials has been hindered by intricate post-modification strategies. Here, a rapid hydrolysis strategy is reported to promote the fast growth of ultrathin nickel-ruthenium hydroxide nanosheets on Ni3S2 supported by nickel foam (RuNiOH/Ni3S2/NF). The work function disparity between components induces interfacial electron redistribution, driving directional electron transfer from Ni3S2 to RuNiOH. This electronic reconfiguration effectively optimizes the adsorption/ desorption kinetics of hydrogen/oxygen intermediates. Resultantly, the prepared RuNiOH/Ni3S2/NF reveals outstanding bifunctional performance, requiring remarkably low overpotentials of 385 mV and 463 mV to achieve 1000 mA cm-2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. The work provides a precise interfacial electronic control methodology, offering new insights for designing high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalysts.