Unlocking the Effects of the RuCo Alloy Ratio on Alkaline Hydrogen Production

Understanding the interaction between Ru and Co components and the alloy ratio effects on the catalytic process is a technical challenge that requires a precise alloy structural design. This study proposes an effective stepwise annealing method for the construction of RuCo alloy-based electrocatalysts with varied Ru:Co ratios. Interestingly, as the concentration of Co in the first-step pyrolysis products increases, the secondary pyrolysis results in RuCo composites undergoing a transition from incomplete alloying to alloy ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:8. When the alloy ratio is 1:1, more Ru n+ and Co0 transform into Ru0 and Co2/3+. In 1 M KOH, RuCo-0.6/NC demonstrates outstanding catalytic performance and durability even superior to that of commercial Pt/C, delivering a lower overpotential of 16 mV at 10 mA cm–2. DFT calculations reveal that the fast H2O dissociation and moderate H adsorption guarantee the superior activity of RuCo.