Ultrafine ruthenium nanocrystals as an alternative to platinum for a pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction

Currently, electrocatalytic water splitting is one of the most inexpensive, clean, reliable, quiet and affordable industrial-grade efficient hydrogen (H2) production technologies. However, the most effective platinum (Pt) based catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are subject to high price and unsatisfactory stability. Therefore, low cost, high efficiency and high stability HER electrocatalysts are urgently needed to replace Pt based electrocatalysts.