Rationally-designed N, P- codoped carbon-supported Ru as efficient catalyst for alkaline hydrogen oxidation

Developing efficient, stable and CO-tolerant electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is vital for hydrogen fuel cells. Herein, we report a phytic acid-modified polyaniline-derived N, P-codoped porous carbon supported ruthenium catalyst (Ru/PA-Ani) for alkaline HOR. The catalyst exhibits an outstanding anodic current density of 8.97 mA cm −2 at 50 mV overpotential over 10 times higher than Ru/Ani and much better than commercial Pt/C. Mechanistic study suggested that the phosphate groups of Ru/PA-Ani catalyst establish a stable complexation system with polyaniline, and the molecular orbital distribution features of its HOMO and LUMO afford molecular-level support for the valence state modulation of Ru 3+ Meanwhile, N, P co-doping optimizes active site dispersion and electronic structure, promoting OH* generation and charge transport. This work provides an effective strategy for high-performance HOR catalysts and guides the design of low cost, stable anode catalysts for alkaline fuel cells.