Activation of inert copper for significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution behaviors by trace ruthenium doping

Huawei Huang; Hyeonjung Jung; Shaofeng Li; Seongbeen Kim; Jeong Woo Han; Jinwoo Lee

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106763

Activation of inert copper for significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution behaviors by trace ruthenium doping

Huawei Huang, Hyeonjung Jung, Shaofeng Li, Seongbeen Kim, Jeong Woo Han^*, Jinwoo Lee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The application of metallic copper in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is severely restricted by its low intrinsic activity due to its surface properties that have large energy barriers for water dissociation and weak binding force to H*. Herein, we report an electronic structure engineering strategy to activate the inert Cu for significantly enhanced HER performance by trace doping of Ru (0.70 wt%). Experiments together with theoretical analysis reveal that the Ru dopants attract electrons from the Cu, resulting in the surface with lower energy barriers for the water dissociation process and optimized binding energy with H*. The synthesized Ru doped Cu only involved overpotentials of 33 and 34 mV to reach 10 mA cm^-2 in alkali and acid, respectively, together with excellent long-term stability. This work presents an electronic engineering pathway to adjust the electrocatalysis behaviors of metallic copper.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	106763
Journal	Nano Energy
Volume	92
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106763
State	Published - Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government ( MSIT ) ( 2020R1A2C3004146 , 2019M3E6A1064706 , 2021M3H4A1A02049893 , 2021M3D1A2051605 ). This work was also conducted under the framework of the research and development program of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (C1–2440). H. Huang acknowledges the support from the Brain Pool Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT ( 2020H1D3A1A02081018 ).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Copper
Electrocatalysis
Hydrogen evolution
Ru doping
Water splitting

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
General Materials Science
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106763

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title = "Activation of inert copper for significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution behaviors by trace ruthenium doping",

abstract = "The application of metallic copper in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is severely restricted by its low intrinsic activity due to its surface properties that have large energy barriers for water dissociation and weak binding force to H*. Herein, we report an electronic structure engineering strategy to activate the inert Cu for significantly enhanced HER performance by trace doping of Ru (0.70 wt%). Experiments together with theoretical analysis reveal that the Ru dopants attract electrons from the Cu, resulting in the surface with lower energy barriers for the water dissociation process and optimized binding energy with H*. The synthesized Ru doped Cu only involved overpotentials of 33 and 34 mV to reach 10 mA cm-2 in alkali and acid, respectively, together with excellent long-term stability. This work presents an electronic engineering pathway to adjust the electrocatalysis behaviors of metallic copper.",

keywords = "Copper, Electrocatalysis, Hydrogen evolution, Ru doping, Water splitting",

author = "Huawei Huang and Hyeonjung Jung and Shaofeng Li and Seongbeen Kim and Han, {Jeong Woo} and Jinwoo Lee",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government ( MSIT ) ( 2020R1A2C3004146 , 2019M3E6A1064706 , 2021M3H4A1A02049893 , 2021M3D1A2051605 ). This work was also conducted under the framework of the research and development program of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (C1–2440). H. Huang acknowledges the support from the Brain Pool Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT ( 2020H1D3A1A02081018 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Ltd",

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AU - Kim, Seongbeen

AU - Han, Jeong Woo

AU - Lee, Jinwoo

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government ( MSIT ) ( 2020R1A2C3004146 , 2019M3E6A1064706 , 2021M3H4A1A02049893 , 2021M3D1A2051605 ). This work was also conducted under the framework of the research and development program of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (C1–2440). H. Huang acknowledges the support from the Brain Pool Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT ( 2020H1D3A1A02081018 ). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

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Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - The application of metallic copper in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is severely restricted by its low intrinsic activity due to its surface properties that have large energy barriers for water dissociation and weak binding force to H*. Herein, we report an electronic structure engineering strategy to activate the inert Cu for significantly enhanced HER performance by trace doping of Ru (0.70 wt%). Experiments together with theoretical analysis reveal that the Ru dopants attract electrons from the Cu, resulting in the surface with lower energy barriers for the water dissociation process and optimized binding energy with H*. The synthesized Ru doped Cu only involved overpotentials of 33 and 34 mV to reach 10 mA cm-2 in alkali and acid, respectively, together with excellent long-term stability. This work presents an electronic engineering pathway to adjust the electrocatalysis behaviors of metallic copper.

AB - The application of metallic copper in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is severely restricted by its low intrinsic activity due to its surface properties that have large energy barriers for water dissociation and weak binding force to H*. Herein, we report an electronic structure engineering strategy to activate the inert Cu for significantly enhanced HER performance by trace doping of Ru (0.70 wt%). Experiments together with theoretical analysis reveal that the Ru dopants attract electrons from the Cu, resulting in the surface with lower energy barriers for the water dissociation process and optimized binding energy with H*. The synthesized Ru doped Cu only involved overpotentials of 33 and 34 mV to reach 10 mA cm-2 in alkali and acid, respectively, together with excellent long-term stability. This work presents an electronic engineering pathway to adjust the electrocatalysis behaviors of metallic copper.

KW - Copper

KW - Electrocatalysis

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KW - Ru doping

KW - Water splitting

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Activation of inert copper for significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution behaviors by trace ruthenium doping

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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