AUTHOR=Devadas Abirami , Baranton Stève , Coutanceau Christophe 

TITLE=Green Synthesis and Modification of RuO2 Materials for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Energy Research

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/energy-research/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2020.571704

DOI=10.3389/fenrg.2020.571704

ISSN=2296-598X

ABSTRACT=<p>Ion exchange method as a green synthesis route is proposed to prepare hydrous ruthenium oxide nanoparticles (H-RuO<sub>2</sub>). Calcination of H-RuO<sub>2</sub> at 350°C resulted in the crystalline rutile RuO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles (C-RuO<sub>2</sub>). Treatment of H-RuO<sub>2</sub> with 20 vol% ammonium hydroxide solution under microwave irradiation and calcination at 350°C resulted in a highly electrocatalytic active crystalline RuO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles (A-C-RuO<sub>2</sub>). Electrocatalytic performances of H-RuO<sub>2</sub>, C-RuO<sub>2</sub> and A-C-RuO<sub>2</sub> for the oxygen evolution reaction in 0.50 mol L<sup>−1</sup> H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> medium are evaluated and compared. Improved performances towards the oxygen evolution reaction are observed for A-C-RuO<sub>2</sub> when compared to C-RuO<sub>2</sub>. Based on XRD, TEM, XPS and Raman characterizations performed on all the specimens, it is deduced that the physicochemical properties (crystallinity, mean crystallite size, level of hydrous rutile content) are varied for A-C-RuO<sub>2</sub> when compared to C-RuO<sub>2</sub>. Structure-property correlation has been established to describe the higher electrocatalytic activity of A-C-RuO<sub>2</sub>.</p>