Unveiling the nanoalloying modulation on hydrogen evolution activity of ruthenium-based electrocatalysts encapsulated by B/N co-doped graphitic nanotubes.

Efficiency of the electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) strongly depends on their extrinsic physical properties and intrinsic electronic structures. Among various modulation strategies, nanoalloying is an efficient route to regulate the intrinsic activities of HER intermediates. Herein, we develop a facile and universal one-step pyrolyzed method to fabricate bimetallic Ru-based nanoalloy catalysts encapsulated by B/N co-doped graphitic nanotubes (RuM@BCN, M=Ir, Pt, Ag, Co, and Fe) for high-performance alkaline HER. BCN nanotube substrates provide sufficient open channels, porous structures and strong anchoring effect to achieve fast kinetics and high stability. The bimetallic nanoalloying strategy greatly promotes the water dissociation and hydrogen adsorption ability of the electrocatalysts via modulation on their intrinsic electronic structures. Therefore, the as-made RuM@BCN demonstrates varied HER behaviors by alloying metals, in which RuIr@BCN exhibits the highest alkaline HER activity with an overpotential of 23.6 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, outperforming commercial Pt/C. [Display omitted] • A general and facile strategy is developed to fabricate bimetallic RuM@BCN nanotubes. • Alloying Ru and Ir atoms induces electronic structure changes and promotes alkaline HER. • BCN nanotubes show great potentials to embed various Ru-based nanoalloy catalysts. • RuIr@BCN demonstrates an overpotential of 23.6 mV at 10 mA cm− 2 for alkaline HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]