Twisted Ru Homostructures Enable High‐Efficiency Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction

J Jiahe Yang (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science) D Dingge Fan (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science) Z Zhiyu Cheng (School of Environment and Civil Engineering Research Institute of Interdisciplinary Science Dongguan University of Technology Dongguan Guangdong 523808 P.R. China) Y Yang Yang P Peichen Wang (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei 230026 P.R. China) P Pin Meng (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science) H Hongda Shi (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science) P Pengcheng Wang (Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology (NANO−CIC)) Y Yunlong Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China) X Xingyan Chen (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science) C Cichang Zong (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China) D Dongdong Wang Q Qianwang Chen (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Designing potential catalysts for the alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) to replace Pt is crucial for the development of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Ru‐based catalysts especially heterostructures are considered to be the most promising alternatives to Pt. However, the activity of Ru‐based heterostructures still falls short of displacing commercial Pt‐based catalysts, primarily due to their limited number of high‐activity sites and high energy barriers for intermediate migration near the interface. Herein, we designed an efficient HOR catalyst on the basis of twisted Ru homostructures. The stress effect and coordination deficiencies generated at the grain boundaries of twisted Ru homostructures could simultaneously optimize the thermodynamics and increase the migration kinetics of intermediates (H* and OH*), effectively overcoming the inherent drawbacks associated with heterostructure catalysts. Owing to the unique electronic structure of the twisted homostructures, our catalyst demonstrated exceptional alkaline HOR catalytic performance ( j k = 77.2 mA cm −2 @ 50 mV). When evaluated in the fuel cell configuration, the catalyst achieves a record peak power density of 1.81 W cm −2 , surpassing commercial PtRu/C (1.36 W cm −2 ) and Pt/C (1.23 W cm −2 ), representing the highest performance among reported pure metallic catalysts.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 11
Published February 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

J

Jiahe Yang

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science

D

Dingge Fan

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science

Z

Zhiyu Cheng

School of Environment and Civil Engineering Research Institute of Interdisciplinary Science Dongguan University of Technology Dongguan Guangdong 523808 P.R. China

Y

Yang Yang

P

Peichen Wang

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei 230026 P.R. China

P

Pin Meng

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science

H

Hongda Shi

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science

P

Pengcheng Wang

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology (NANO−CIC)

Y

Yunlong Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China

X

Xingyan Chen

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science

C

Cichang Zong

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China

D

Dongdong Wang

Q

Qianwang Chen

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Chemistry and Materials Science