Trace Pt Induced electron-enriched Ru to boost interfacial water-activation for alkaline hydrogen generation under industrial condition

A breakdown of the Sabatier principle is essential for the substantial improvement of the catalytic performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This can be achieved by alternating the support and electronic metal support interaction (EMSI). Herein, ZrO 2 supported Ru and Pt (Pt-Ru/ZrO 2 ) with EMSI is designed through ultrafast microwave-plasma (60 s) approach. Pt-Ru/ZrO 2 requires only 33 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA cm −2 in alkaline HER, which is 6.3 times the mass activity of the benchmark Pt/C. HER performance is enhanced in the presence of EMSI because it optimizes the hydrogen adsorption and desorption processes, improves charge transfer and improves the kinetics of water dissociation. In addition, the assembled anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis cell maintains long-term stability for more than 150 h at 1 A cm −2 , demonstrating a sustained catalytic effect. This work offers a novel design approach for developing electrocatalysts with remarkable performance when subjected to high-current–density conditions of industrial scenarios