Catalytic Performance of Cr-doped Ruthenium Oxides for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Water Electrolysis

Authors

• Ya-Ge Cao, Henan Key Laboratory of Coal Green Conversion, State Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Work Safety and Clean High Efficiency Utilization, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China.
• Da-Feng Zhang, Henan Key Laboratory of Coal Green Conversion, State Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Work Safety and Clean High Efficiency Utilization, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China.Follow
• Xu Chen, Henan Key Laboratory of Coal Green Conversion, State Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Work Safety and Clean High Efficiency Utilization, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China.
• Hao Liang, Henan Key Laboratory of Coal Green Conversion, State Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Work Safety and Clean High Efficiency Utilization, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China.
• Bao-Zhong Liu, Henan Key Laboratory of Coal Green Conversion, State Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Work Safety and Clean High Efficiency Utilization, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China.Follow

Document Type

Article

Corresponding Author(s)

Da-Feng Zhang([email protected]);
Bao-Zhong Liu([email protected])

Abstract

Hydrogen production from water electrolysis represents a crucial pathway for renewable energy storage, yet the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains the efficiency bottleneck due to its sluggish kinetics. In this study, we present a chromium-doped ruthenium dioxide (py-RuO₂:Cr) synthesized using a simple one-step pyrolysis method, and evaluate its OER catalytic performance. The py-RuO₂:Cr catalyst reveals excellent OER activity with an overpotential of only 196 mV at 10 mA∙cm^-2, and operates stably for over 500 h in acidic media. Experimental studies show that the Cr dopant induces the formation of oxygen vacancies and modulates the oxidation state of Ru. Mechanistic insights reveal that the structural features of py-RuO₂:Cr give rise to pH-dependent OER kinetics, indicating increased direct participation of lattice oxygen in the formation and transformation of reaction intermediates. This pathway effectively lowers the energy barrier for the OER, resulting in significantly enhanced catalytic performance.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

ruthenium dioxides, Cr dopant, electrocatalysis, oxygen evolution reaction, acidic medium

DOI

10.61558/2993-074X.3629

Online Date

9-29-2026

Recommended Citation

Ya-Ge Cao, Da-Feng Zhang, Xu Chen, Hao Liang, Bao-Zhong Liu. Catalytic Performance of Cr-doped Ruthenium Oxides for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Water Electrolysis[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, doi: 10.61558/2993-074X.3629.