Rapid synthesis of an aluminum-doped ultrathin Rux–RuO2 heterostructure optimized through combined wet–dry microwave radiation for efficient acidic and alkaline overall water splitting

Abstract

In the context of overall water splitting, traditional catalysts like Pt/C and IrO₂ are inadequate due to high costs and limited functionality. In response to this challenge, our research introduces a versatile catalytic material, synthesized via an innovative “wet–dry” microwave radiation technique, designed for effective overall water splitting under both acidic and alkaline conditions. In just 110 seconds, we synthesize aluminum-modified ultrathin Ru_x/RuO₂ heterostructures (A-RRO@G), with a diameter of approximately 2.3 nm and a height of less than 1 nm, which significantly reduces cost and preparation time. Thanks to the high atomic utilization and the electronic structure modulation facilitated by the ultrathin Ru_x/RuO₂ heterostructure with the Al dopants, electronic configurations and kinetic reaction pathways are significantly optimized. This results in superior water-splitting performance in both acidic and alkaline environments. Notably, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) mass activities surpass those of 20 wt% Pt/C by 16.60 and 5.19 times under alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively, and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) mass activities exceed that of commercial IrO₂ by two orders of magnitude. This research provides insights for developing advanced catalysts tailored for efficient water splitting, marking a significant scientific and practical enhancement in clean energy conversion and storage.