Modulation for RuO2/TiO2 via Simple Synthesis to Enhance the Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The efficientsynthesis without support premodificationfor RuO2/TiO2 modulates the structure and electrondistribution to promote OER kinetics. Green hydrogen production with water splitting devices,especiallya proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE), has receivedextensive attention. However, the sluggish kinetics of the oxygenevolution reaction (OER) still hinders its large-scale commercialapplication. Designing high-performance and low-cost electrocatalyststo drive the OER reaction remains a tough challenge. The active nanoparticlesincorporating with metal oxide support is considered a promising strategyto improve durability and activity in acidic electrolytes. However,efficient synthesis methods without support premodification are rarelyinvestigated. Herein, a simple but effective hydrothermal method accompanyingthe gradient annealing temperature was used to synthesize commercialTiO(2) supported RuO2. The representative RuO2/TiO2-T250 required a low overpotential of 239mV (@10 mA cm(-2)) with a Tafel slope value of 41.49mV dec(-1) and stability of over 20 h, far exceedingthe performance of commercial RuO2. T250 exhibited a crystallinebut hydrated microstructure, and the existing support-metal oxideinteraction redistributed the electrons around Ru and Ti, which bothgave rise to the activity of the electrocatalyst as well as hinderedthe Ru dissolution, thereby enhancing the OER performance. The synthesisstrategy creates an important platform for designing more robust electrocatalystsfor PEMWE application.