Ru loaded on NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays for boosting alkaline electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution abilities

Ru/NiFe LDH was obtained by introducing Ru into the surface of NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheet arrays by using the ion-exchange method. The introduction of Ru species promotes electrocatalytic performances of NiFe LDH toward water splitting with the assistance of the increased active surface areas with much more active sites, as well as optimal electronic structure. Ru anchored NiFe LDH (Ru/NiFe LDH) showed superior activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction with an overpotential of 50 mV to reach 10 mA center dot cm(-2) with Tafel slop of 52.3 mV center dot dec(-1), compared with that of NiFe LDH with 226 mV at 10 mA center dot cm(-2) and Tafel slope of 157.5 mV center dot dec(-1). In addition, Ru/NiFe LDH catalyst also exhibited excellent performance toward oxygen evolution reaction, requiring an overpotential of 231 mV to achieve 50 mA center dot cm(-2), outperforming that of NiFe LDH (237 mV). As expected, Ru/NiFe LDH catalyst showed robust tolerance to long-term working catalysis.