Cactus-Like Hollow Cu2-xS@Ru Nanoplates as Excellent and Robust Electrocatalysts for the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

The development of Pt-free electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) recently is a focus of great interest. While several strategies are developed to control the structural properties of non-Pt catalysts and boost their electrocatalytic activities for the HER, the generation of highly reactive defects or interfaces by combining a metal with other metals, or with metal oxides/sulfides, can lead to notably enhanced catalytic performance. Herein, the preparation of cactus-like hollow Cu2-xS@Ru nanoplates (NPs) that contain metal/metal sulfide heterojunctions and show excellent catalytic activity and durability for the HER in alkaline media is reported. The initial formation of Ru islands on presynthesized Cu1.94S NPs, via cation exchange between three Cu+ ions and one Ru3+, induces the growth of the Ru phase, which is concomitant with the dissolution of the Cu1.94S nanotemplate, culminating in the formation of a hollow nanostructure with numerous thin Ru pillars. Hollow Cu2-xS@Ru NPs exhibit a small overpotential of 82 mV at a current density of −10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 48 mV dec−1 under alkaline conditions; this catalyst is among state-of-the-art HER electrocatalysts in alkaline media. The excellent performance of hollow Cu2-xS@Ru NPs originates from the facile dissociation of water in the Volmer step.