High-Performance Pt-Deposited Yttrium Ruthenate Bifunctional Water Electrolytic Catalyst in Acidic Environments

Designing efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is crucial for advancing water electrolysis technologies toward sustainable hydrogen production. Ruthenium pyrochlore oxide (A₂Ru₂O_7−δ) has attracted much attention due to its high OER catalytic activity and low cost. However, their catalytic activity and stability require further improvement to achieve commercial viability. In this study, a series of Pt-deposited Yttrium ruthenate (Y₂Ru₂O_7−δ, YRO) bifunctional catalysts Pt(x%)-Y₂Ru₂O₇ were prepared by hydrothermal and heat treatment methods. In an acidic environment, the OER activity and stability were significantly improved compared with YRO, and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance gradually improved. Among them, Pt(25%)-YRO showed excellent OER (η₁₀ = 260 mV, 43.1 mV dec⁻¹) and HER (η₁₀ = 120 mV, 51.2 mV dec⁻¹) performance. In addition, Pt(25%)-YRO demonstrated excellent catalytic stability, with both the OER and the overall water splitting reaction maintaining stable operation at 10 mA cm⁻² for over 50 h. This provides a new approach for developing high-activity, high-stability, dual-function water electrolytic catalysts for use in harsh acidic environments.