Design strategies of ruthenium-based materials toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen produced from electrocatalytic water splitting means is deemed to be a promising route to construct a low-carbon, eco-friendly, and high-efficiency modern energy system. The design and construction of highly active catalysts with affordable prices toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are effective in accelerating the overall water-splitting process. So far, ruthenium (Ru) based catalysts deliver comparable or even superior catalytic performance relative to the platinum (Pt)/C benchmark. Combined with their price advantage, Ru-based catalysts are undoubtedly considered as one of the perfect alternatives of Pt toward the alkaline HER. Extensive efforts have been made to reasonably synthesize Ru-related materials, but a careful insight into material engineering strategies and induced effects remain in its infancy. In this review, recent progress on the material engineering strategies for improving the catalytic activity of Ru-related catalysts, including electronic regulation, geometric modulation, local structure alteration, self-optimization strategies, and the induced structure–activity relationship are comprehensively summarized. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives on future studies of Ru-related electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER are also proposed.