Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Xiandi Sun; Jiashun Wu; Tao Wang; Xiao-Long Zhang; Pei Liu; Hongyu Sun; Hang Liu; Siyu Chen; Jia Ge; Tianrui Liu; Haibing Wei; Chuan-Ling Zhang; Huai-Ping Cong; Zhenbin Wang; Ya-Rong Zheng; Min-Rui Gao

doi:10.1002/adma.202505781

Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Xiandi Sun (Co-first Author)
, Jiashun Wu (Co-first Author)
, Tao Wang (Co-first Author)
, Xiao-Long Zhang
, Pei Liu
, Hongyu Sun
, Hang Liu
, Siyu Chen
, Jia Ge
, Tianrui Liu
, Haibing Wei^*
, Chuan-Ling Zhang
, Huai-Ping Cong
, Zhenbin Wang^*
, Ya-Rong Zheng^*
, Min-Rui Gao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ruthenium-based materials are promising alternatives to expensive platinum for the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), but face stability issues due to the strong oxophilicity. Here, an oxidation-resistant ruthenium multigrain catalyst is reported that exposes rich (1011) facets for high-performing HOR catalysis in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high kinetic current density of 61 mA cm^-2 at an overpotential of 50 mV, which is 25.6- and 7.8-times higher than that of commercial ruthenium-carbon and platinum-carbon catalysts, respectively. Moreover, it also demonstrates a wide stability window up to 0.3 V versus the reverse hydrogen electrode and enhanced tolerance to carbon monoxide. An AEMFC containing this catalyst at the anode achieves peak power densities of 1.31 and 1.06 W cm^-2 under hydrogen-oxygen and hydrogen-air conditions at 90 °C, respectively, and operates steadily. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the (1011) facet possesses a higher oxidation barrier and lower hydrogen oxidation barrier than the common (0002) facets, enabling the exceptional HOR performances in alkali. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Original language	English
Article number	e05781
Number of pages	9
Journal	Advanced Materials
Volume	37
Issue number	41
Online published	24 Jul 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202505781
Publication status	Published - 16 Oct 2025

Funding

X.S., J.W., and T.W. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22275047 and 21703228), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JZ2022HGPA0308, JZ2023YQTD0074, and JZ2024HGTG0297), Anhui Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Program for Returned Overseas Researchers (2022LCX033). The computational work was supported by the City University of Hong Kong Start-up Grant (9020004).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Research Keywords

anion exchange membrane fuel cell
hydrogen oxidation reaction
nanograins
ruthenium
stability window

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1002/adma.202505781

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Sun, X., Wu, J., Wang, T., Zhang, X.-L., Liu, P., Sun, H., Liu, H., Chen, S., Ge, J., Liu, T., Wei, H., Zhang, C.-L., Cong, H.-P., Wang, Z., Zheng, Y.-R., & Gao, M.-R. (2025). Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. Advanced Materials, 37(41), Article e05781. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202505781

@article{d17836b1fb4f482fada3a40f4c1a411c,

title = "Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells",

abstract = "Ruthenium-based materials are promising alternatives to expensive platinum for the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), but face stability issues due to the strong oxophilicity. Here, an oxidation-resistant ruthenium multigrain catalyst is reported that exposes rich (1011) facets for high-performing HOR catalysis in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high kinetic current density of 61 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 50 mV, which is 25.6- and 7.8-times higher than that of commercial ruthenium-carbon and platinum-carbon catalysts, respectively. Moreover, it also demonstrates a wide stability window up to 0.3 V versus the reverse hydrogen electrode and enhanced tolerance to carbon monoxide. An AEMFC containing this catalyst at the anode achieves peak power densities of 1.31 and 1.06 W cm-2 under hydrogen-oxygen and hydrogen-air conditions at 90 °C, respectively, and operates steadily. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the (1011) facet possesses a higher oxidation barrier and lower hydrogen oxidation barrier than the common (0002) facets, enabling the exceptional HOR performances in alkali. {\textcopyright} 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

keywords = "anion exchange membrane fuel cell, hydrogen oxidation reaction, nanograins, ruthenium, stability window",

author = "Xiandi Sun and Jiashun Wu and Tao Wang and Xiao-Long Zhang and Pei Liu and Hongyu Sun and Hang Liu and Siyu Chen and Jia Ge and Tianrui Liu and Haibing Wei and Chuan-Ling Zhang and Huai-Ping Cong and Zhenbin Wang and Ya-Rong Zheng and Min-Rui Gao",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1002/adma.202505781",

language = "English",

volume = "37",

journal = "Advanced Materials",

issn = "0935-9648",

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number = "41",

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Sun, X, Wu, J, Wang, T, Zhang, X-L, Liu, P, Sun, H, Liu, H, Chen, S, Ge, J, Liu, T, Wei, H, Zhang, C-L, Cong, H-P, Wang, Z, Zheng, Y-R & Gao, M-R 2025, 'Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells', Advanced Materials, vol. 37, no. 41, e05781. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202505781

Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. / Sun, Xiandi (Co-first Author); Wu, Jiashun (Co-first Author); Wang, Tao (Co-first Author) et al.
In: Advanced Materials, Vol. 37, No. 41, e05781, 16.10.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

AU - Sun, Xiandi

AU - Wu, Jiashun

AU - Wang, Tao

AU - Zhang, Xiao-Long

AU - Liu, Pei

AU - Sun, Hongyu

AU - Liu, Hang

AU - Chen, Siyu

AU - Ge, Jia

AU - Liu, Tianrui

AU - Wei, Haibing

AU - Zhang, Chuan-Ling

AU - Cong, Huai-Ping

AU - Wang, Zhenbin

AU - Zheng, Ya-Rong

AU - Gao, Min-Rui

PY - 2025/10/16

Y1 - 2025/10/16

N2 - Ruthenium-based materials are promising alternatives to expensive platinum for the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), but face stability issues due to the strong oxophilicity. Here, an oxidation-resistant ruthenium multigrain catalyst is reported that exposes rich (1011) facets for high-performing HOR catalysis in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high kinetic current density of 61 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 50 mV, which is 25.6- and 7.8-times higher than that of commercial ruthenium-carbon and platinum-carbon catalysts, respectively. Moreover, it also demonstrates a wide stability window up to 0.3 V versus the reverse hydrogen electrode and enhanced tolerance to carbon monoxide. An AEMFC containing this catalyst at the anode achieves peak power densities of 1.31 and 1.06 W cm-2 under hydrogen-oxygen and hydrogen-air conditions at 90 °C, respectively, and operates steadily. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the (1011) facet possesses a higher oxidation barrier and lower hydrogen oxidation barrier than the common (0002) facets, enabling the exceptional HOR performances in alkali. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

AB - Ruthenium-based materials are promising alternatives to expensive platinum for the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), but face stability issues due to the strong oxophilicity. Here, an oxidation-resistant ruthenium multigrain catalyst is reported that exposes rich (1011) facets for high-performing HOR catalysis in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high kinetic current density of 61 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 50 mV, which is 25.6- and 7.8-times higher than that of commercial ruthenium-carbon and platinum-carbon catalysts, respectively. Moreover, it also demonstrates a wide stability window up to 0.3 V versus the reverse hydrogen electrode and enhanced tolerance to carbon monoxide. An AEMFC containing this catalyst at the anode achieves peak power densities of 1.31 and 1.06 W cm-2 under hydrogen-oxygen and hydrogen-air conditions at 90 °C, respectively, and operates steadily. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the (1011) facet possesses a higher oxidation barrier and lower hydrogen oxidation barrier than the common (0002) facets, enabling the exceptional HOR performances in alkali. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

KW - anion exchange membrane fuel cell

KW - hydrogen oxidation reaction

KW - nanograins

KW - ruthenium

KW - stability window

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001534997500001

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105011876399

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105011876399#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1002/adma.202505781

DO - 10.1002/adma.202505781

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0935-9648

VL - 37

JO - Advanced Materials

JF - Advanced Materials

IS - 41

M1 - e05781

ER -

Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

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RMGS: Data-driven Materials Design for Electrocatalysis

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Multigrain Ruthenium Nanocrystals with Enriched (1011) Facets for Enhanced Hydrogen Oxidation in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

RMGS: Data-driven Materials Design for Electrocatalysis

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