# Efficient Electrochemical Methods for Low-Loading Ru Deposition on Carbon Electrodes as a Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Catalyst in an Acidic Environment

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a cost-effective method to deposit low amounts of ruthenium on carbon electrodes for efficient hydrogen production in acidic environments.

## Contribution

A novel electrodeposition strategy for low-loading Ru catalysts with high performance in acidic hydrogen evolution reactions.

## Key findings

- A Ru loading of 0.06 mg cm–2 achieved an overpotential of 67 mV at 10 mA cm–2.
- The Tafel slope was measured at 50 mV dec–1, indicating good electrocatalytic performance.
- Uniform coverage and active site density were achieved through optimized deposition conditions.

## Abstract

The widespread development of technologies for green
hydrogen production
strictly relies on the availability of durable electrocatalysts that
can operate in either acidic or alkaline electrolytes while using
a limited amount of platinum group metals. In this work, we present
an effective strategy based on electrodeposition as a low-cost method
to obtain low-loading Ru catalysts on carbon electrodes for the hydrogen
evolution reaction in an acidic environment. The deposition conditions
have been investigated and optimized in order to have uniform coverage,
a large number of active sites, and good electrocatalytic performance.
The morphology and chemical structure have been investigated using
scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
measurements. Excellent catalytic activity has been achieved with
a Ru loading of 0.06 mg cm–2, obtaining an overpotential
of 67 mV at 10 mA cm–2 and a Tafel slope of 50 mV
dec–1.