A robust wide-pH-range hydrogen evolution catalyst via stabilizing amorphous Ru on a COF-derived carbon framework

Conventional crystalline Ru-based catalysts often suffer from insufficient stability and limited active sites under acidic and alkaline conditions, hindering their practical application. To address these limitations, we designed an amorphous Ru catalyst supported on COF-derived nitrogen-doped carbon substrate (Ru x /NC). By strategically modulating the kinetic nucleation and thermodynamic aggregation behavior of Ru, we precisely engineered amorphous Ru nanoparticles with a size of approximately 3 nm, stabilizing Ru at the critical point of amorphous-to-crystalline transition. This unique structural configuration offers multiple catalytic advantages, including a high density of low-coordination active sites and an electronic structure that enables optimal hydrogen adsorption. Moreover, the isotropic nature of amorphous Ru enhances its resistance to corrosion and structural degradation. Benefiting from these merits and the synergistic effects with the NC framework, the optimized Ru 3nm /NC catalyst establishes a new benchmark for robust hydrogen evolution, demonstrating exceptionally low overpotentials, ultra-small Tafel slopes, and outstanding durability across the   wide pH range, which offers valuable insights for the rational design of next-generation electrocatalysts.