Advancements in Ruthenium (Ru)‐Based Heterostructure Catalysts: Overcoming Bottlenecks in Catalysis for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Investigating clean and sustainable hydrogen generation from water splitting requires cost‐effective and highly efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Ruthenium (Ru)‐based heterostructure catalysts have emerged as promising alternatives to precious Pt, offering significant potential to overcome current bottlenecks. Recent advancements in Ru‐based heterostructure catalysts have focused on achieving a balance between catalytic activity and stability. An overview of these developments provides insights into catalytic mechanisms and facilitates the development of novel catalysts. This review begins with an exploration of the enhanced activity of heterostructure catalysts, followed by a critical summary of synthetic strategies employed to fabricate these catalysts and their catalytic performances for HER. Attention is then directed to experimental endeavors aimed at enhancing the HER performance of Ru‐based heterostructure catalysts. Finally, the opportunities and challenges in developing heterostructure catalysts from the perspectives of material design and synthesis are discussed. Through these discussions, a comprehensive understanding of Ru‐based heterostructure catalysts and inspiring future research directions is the aim to provide.