Electrosynthesis of a RuAg alloy for an efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction†

Abstract

In this study, a binary RuAg alloy material with a face-centred cubic crystalline structure was synthesised through electrodeposition. The as-prepared RuAg alloy on a planar glassy carbon electrode exhibited excellent hydrogen evolution reaction activity, with an overpotential of 30 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and with turnover frequencies of 0.07 and 0.42 s⁻¹ at the overpotentials of 30 and 100 mV, respectively, in 1.0 M KOH solution. In summary, this study developed a highly active Ru-based HER catalyst in an alkaline solution. We hope that the present results can facilitate the further development of HER electrocatalysts.