The porous structure and multi-site synergistic enhancement of Rux/CoCu-LDH@CF for high-efficiency for all-pH overall water splitting

Propose the “Ru-O-Co/Cu bridge structure” strategy to establish electronic coupling and a cooperative network, achieving multi-site synergistic catalysis. • In the acidic solution, at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 , the HER overpotential of Ru 2 /CoCu-LDH@CF is only 19.76 mV, with stability exceeding 300 h. • In the acidic solution, the dual electrodes OWS voltage is as low as 1.35 V. Under the “backdrop of the “dual carbon” strategy steering global energy structure transformation, green hydrogen—an ideal clean energy carrier featuring zero carbon emissions and high energy density—requires large-scale production to boost renewable energy utilization and attain carbon neutrality. To address this challenge, this work, aligned with industrial demands for low-cost green hydrogen, fabricated low-ruthenium-doped Ruₓ/CoCu-LDH@CF (x = 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 mmol) in situ on conductive copper foam (CF) via synergistic effect. Ruthenium doping effectively elevates the material’s electrical conductivity while regulating the electronic configuration of CoCu-LDH. The Ruₓ/CoCu-LDH@CF catalyst demonstrates outstanding activity across the all pH range: In 1 M KOH, the Ruₓ/CoCu-LDH@CF electrode requires only 58.6 mV and 202.4 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively, and maintains stable for over 300 h. In 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 , at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 , the HER overpotential of Ru 2 /CoCu-LDH@CF is only 19.76 mV, the overall water splitting (OWS) voltage is as low as 1.35 V. In 1 M PBS, the Tafel slope is as low as 25.01 mV dec⁻¹, signifying fast reaction kinetics. This superior catalytic behavior stems primarily from the Ru-O-Co/Cu bridging structure, which facilitates efficient electron transfer. This advancement offers material support for the efficient, stable production of green hydrogen, further advancing renewable energy-driven electrochemical water splitting toward practical application. It carries substantial theoretical and practical value for curbing carbon emissions, aiding the realization of “dual carbon” targets, and building a clean energy system. Download: Download high-res image (358KB) Download: Download full-size image