Dynamic H Migration Pathways Engineered by Ru Dual-Site Architecture for High-Performing Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dynamic H Migration Pathways Engineered by Ru Dual-Site Architecture for High-Performing Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

AU - Liu, Rui

AU - Lv, Zunhang

AU - Wang, Changli

AU - Tian, Chongao

AU - Dong, Feilong

AU - Feng, Xiao

AU - Wang, Bo

AU - Yang, Wenxiu

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

PY - 2025/8/19

Y1 - 2025/8/19

N2 - Alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE) are promising for clean hydrogen production, yet encounter challenges such as low efficiency and instability at high current densities. Herein, an efficient Ru-based catalyst with a dual-site architecture (Ru NC/RuSA–N2O2) is reported, for boosting HER in practical AEMWE. The optimized RuSA–N2O2 sites engineer dynamic H migration pathways that effectively alleviate the strong H* adsorption around Ru clusters, reaching rapid H* desorption. This unique dual-site configuration enables the construction of successive channels of H combination between H* from Ru clusters and RuSA-N2O2 sites, avoiding the over-adsorption of H* and the overlay of Ru clusters. An AEMWE using Ru NC/RuSA–N2O2 (with only 80 µgRu cm−2) can reach 3 A cm−2 at only 1.82 V and exhibits excellent stability for 600 h with a decay of only 30 µV h−1 (at 1 A cm−2). This work highlights the rational design of dual-site architecture regulates H migration dynamics through synergistic mechanisms for activity and stability promotion in AEMWE.

AB - Alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE) are promising for clean hydrogen production, yet encounter challenges such as low efficiency and instability at high current densities. Herein, an efficient Ru-based catalyst with a dual-site architecture (Ru NC/RuSA–N2O2) is reported, for boosting HER in practical AEMWE. The optimized RuSA–N2O2 sites engineer dynamic H migration pathways that effectively alleviate the strong H* adsorption around Ru clusters, reaching rapid H* desorption. This unique dual-site configuration enables the construction of successive channels of H combination between H* from Ru clusters and RuSA-N2O2 sites, avoiding the over-adsorption of H* and the overlay of Ru clusters. An AEMWE using Ru NC/RuSA–N2O2 (with only 80 µgRu cm−2) can reach 3 A cm−2 at only 1.82 V and exhibits excellent stability for 600 h with a decay of only 30 µV h−1 (at 1 A cm−2). This work highlights the rational design of dual-site architecture regulates H migration dynamics through synergistic mechanisms for activity and stability promotion in AEMWE.

KW - anion exchange membrane electrolyzer

KW - hydrogen evolution reaction

KW - long-term stability

KW - metal-support interaction

KW - synergistic effect

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105006898220

U2 - 10.1002/aenm.202501331

DO - 10.1002/aenm.202501331

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105006898220

SN - 1614-6832

VL - 15

JO - Advanced Energy Materials

JF - Advanced Energy Materials

IS - 31

M1 - 2501331

ER -