Microwave assisted synthesis of metallic Ru for the HOR and ORR

Abstract

Metallic ruthenium electrocatalyst with activity for the hydrogen oxidation reaction and the oxygen reduction reaction has been synthesized by microwave irradiation at 180 °C in deionized water as reaction media. Characterization of the material by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy shows a complete decarbonylation of the precursor Ru _3 (CO) _12 with formation of metallic Ru, which is confirmed by the corresponding x-ray diffraction analysis. Evaluation of the material’s electrocatalytic properties by the rotating disk electrode technique in 0.5 mol l ^−1 allows the study of hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction using linear sweep voltammetry, exhibiting that the diffusional processes of H _2 and O _2 can be improved by modifying the electrocatalytic ink preparation.

Keywords

• microwave heating
• ruthenium
• electrocatalyst
• green chemistry synthesis
• oxygen reduction
• hydrogen oxidation