Amorphous ruthenium nanoparticles for enhanced electrochemical water splitting. (25th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tee, Si Yin; Lee, Coryl Jing Jun; Dinachali, Saman Safari; Lai, Szu Cheng; Williams, Evan Laurence; Luo, He-Kuan; Chi, Dongzhi; Andy Hor, T S; Han, Ming-Yong
• Is Part Of: Nanotechnology. Volume 26:Number 41(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-09-25
• Subjects: electrochemical water splitting -- ruthenium nanoparticles -- amorphous phase -- electrocatalyst -- hydrogen generation; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology; Publications périodiques; Nanotechnologies; Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/26/41/415401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4484

Abstract

Abstract: This paper demonstrates an optimized fabrication of amorphous Ru nanoparticles through annealing at various temperatures ranging from 150 to 700 °C, which are used as water oxidation catalyst for effective electrochemical water splitting under a low overpotential of less than 300 mV. The amorphous Ru nanoparticles with short-range ordered structure exhibit an optimal and stable electrocatalytic activity after annealing at 250 °C. Interestingly, a small quantity of such Ru nanoparticles in a thin film on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass is also effectively driven by a conventional crystalline silicon solar cell that has excellent capability for harvesting visible light. Remarkably, it achieves an overall solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 11.3% in acidic electrolyte.