Pyrochlore-Type Bi2Ru2O7 With Regulated Local Electronic Structure for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) represents a prospective technology for hydrogen production but suffers from the lack of efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysts with high activity, robust stability, and reduced cost. Herein, we report pyrochlore-type bismuth ruthenates (Bi 2 Ru 2 O 7 , BRO) as promising electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which exhibits more than 20 times higher OER activity than RuO 2 yet with 48.3 wt.% less Ru content. The high intrinsic activity of BRO originates from the regulated local electronic structure of Ru sites by Bi, optimizing the adsorption behavior of oxygen intermediates and thus boosting the OER kinetics. Moreover, the assembled AEM electrolyzer with BRO as the anode can show a higher energy saving efficiency and a slower activity decay over a 120-h continuous operation in comparison to RuO 2 electrolyzer.