A heterostructure coupling of Ru nanosheets and NiCo LDH for hydrazine-assisted overall seawater splitting

Modifying the catalyst's electronic structure is essential for improving the hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) and alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but it is still very difficult. We have developed a new heterostructured electrocatalyst in this work using Ru nanosheets and NiCo layered double hydroxides (LDH). In-situ Raman and theoretical studies show that the heterostructure of Ru/NiCo LDH lowers absorption of hydrogen's Gibbs free energy and the d-band center of Ru/NiCo LDH (from −1.7250 to −1.3341 eV), causing the directed development of interfacial H 2 O (ΔG H* , from 1.65 to 0.23 eV). With an overpotential of 19 and 75 mV to achieve 10 and 100 mA cm −2 for HER, these beneficial characteristics provide the Ru/NiCo LDH with exceptional electrocatalytic capabilities. For HzOR, 10 and 100 mA cm −2 may be produced using just −118 and−112 mV, respectively. The Ru/NiCo LDH electrolyzer also only needs 22 and 223 mV to produce 10 and 100 mA cm −2 , respectively. This work lays the groundwork for developing bifunctional catalysts for the green hydrogen industry.