Significantly Enhanced Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance of RuO Nanoparticles by Introducing Oxygen Vacancy with Polytetrafluoroethylene

The supported RuO catalysts are known for their synergistic and interfacial effects, which significantly enhance both catalytic activity and stability. However, polymer-supported RuO catalysts have received limited attention due to challenges associated with poor conductivity. In this study, we successfully synthesized the RuO-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) catalyst via a facile annealing process. The optimized nucleation and growth strategies enable the formation of RuO particles (~13.4 nm) encapsulating PTFE, establishing a conductive network that effectively addresses the conductivity issue. Additionally, PTFE induces the generation of oxygen vacancies and the formation of stable RuO/PTFE interfaces, which further enhance the acidic OER activity and the stability of RuO. As a result, the RuO-PTFE catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of 219 mV at 10 mA cm⁻ in the three-electrode system, and the voltage of the RuO-PTFE||commercial Pt/C system can keep 1.50 V for 800 h at 10 mA cm. This work underscores the versatility of PTFE as a substrate for fine-tuning the catalyst morphology, the crystal defect, and the stable interface outerwear. This work not only broadens the application scope of PTFE in catalyst synthesis but also provides a novel approach to the design of high-performance metallic oxide catalysts with tailored oxygen vacancy concentration and stable polymer outerwear.