Abstract:
The development of bifunction RuO
2-based electrocatalysts with high performance and stability is the key to complete water splitting for hydrogen production. RuO
2/Co
3O
4@NC composite was successfully prepared by coprecipitation, adsorption and calcination. The performance and long-term stability of the composite were studied by electrochemical testing. The test results show that the hydrogen evolution overpotential of RuO
2/Co
3O
4@NC electrode is only 53 mV when the current density is 10 mA·cm
−2, and it is continuously stable for 100 h at 10 mA·cm
−2 current density. At a current density of 10 mA·cm
−2, the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction of the RuO
2/Co
3O
4@NC electrode is 200 mV, and it is operated continuously and stably for 100 h at this current density. When RuO
2/Co
3O
4@NC is formed into an alkaline total decomposition hydrolysis cell, the voltage is only 1.40 V to reach the current density of 10 mA·cm
−2, which is significantly lower than that of 20 wt% Pt/C||commercial RuO
2. electrolytic cell (1.61V). The cell runs stably for 80 h at 10 mA·cm
−2. The results show that the heterostructure of RuO
2 and Co
3O
4 can effectively improve HER and OER performance. The surface of nitrogen-doped carbon shell can effectively improve the long-term HER and OER stability of the composite.