Local compressive strain-induced anti-corrosion over isolated Ru-decorated Co3O4 for efficient acidic oxygen evolution

Shouwei Zuo; Zhi-Peng Wu; Deting Xu; Rafia Ahmad; Lirong Zheng; Jing Zhang; Lina Zhao; Wenhuan Huang; Hassan Al Qahtani; Yu Han; Luigi Cavallo; Huabin Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-53763-8

Local compressive strain-induced anti-corrosion over isolated Ru-decorated Co₃O₄ for efficient acidic oxygen evolution

Nat Commun. 2024 Nov 4;15(1):9514. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-53763-8.

Authors

Shouwei Zuo^#^{1

2}, Zhi-Peng Wu^#^{1

2}, Deting Xu^#³, Rafia Ahmad², Lirong Zheng⁴, Jing Zhang⁴, Lina Zhao⁵, Wenhuan Huang⁶, Hassan Al Qahtani⁷, Yu Han^{2

8

9

10}, Luigi Cavallo¹¹, Huabin Zhang^{12

13}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies (CREST), Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
² KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
³ CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellent in Nanoscience, Institute of High Energy Physics and National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellent in Nanoscience, Institute of High Energy Physics and National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
⁶ Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for China National Light Industry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
⁷ EXPEC Advanced Research Centre, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ School of Emergent Soft Matter, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
¹⁰ Center for Electron Microscopy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
¹¹ KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [email protected].
¹² Center for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies (CREST), Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [email protected].
¹³ KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [email protected].

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39496587
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53763-8

Abstract

Enhancing corrosion resistance is essential for developing efficient electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report the strategic manipulation of the local compressive strain to reinforce the anti-corrosion properties of the non-precious Co₃O₄ support. The incorporation of Ru single atoms, larger in atomic size than Co, into the Co₃O₄ lattice (Ru-Co₃O₄), triggers localized strain compression and lattice distortion on the Co-O lattice. A comprehensive exploration of the correlation between this specific local compressive strain and electrocatalytic performance is conducted through experimental and theoretical analyses. The presence of the localized strain in Ru-Co₃O₄ is confirmed by operando X-ray absorption studies and supported by quantum calculations. This local strain, presented in a shortened Co-O bond length, enhances the anti-corrosion properties of Co₃O₄ by suppressing metal dissolutions. Consequently, Ru-Co₃O₄ shows satisfactory stability, maintaining OER for over 400 hours at 30 mA cm^-2 with minimal decay. This study demonstrates the potential of the local strain effect in fortifying catalyst stability for acidic OER and beyond.