Hydrogen evolution reaction is an important process in electrochemical energy technologies. Herein, ruthenium and nitrogen codoped carbon nanowires are prepared as effective hydrogen evolution catalysts. The catalytic performance is markedly better than that of commercial platinum catalyst, with an overpotential of only −12 mV to reach the current density of 10 mV cm-2 in 1 M KOH and −47 mV in 0.1 M KOH. Comparisons with control experiments suggest that the remarkable activity is mainly ascribed to individual ruthenium atoms embedded within the carbon matrix, with minimal contributions from ruthenium nanoparticles. Consistent results are obtained in first-principles calculations, where RuCxNy moieties are found to show a much lower hydrogen binding energy than ruthenium nanoparticles, and a lower kinetic barrier for water dissociation than platinum. Among these, RuC2N2 stands out as the most active catalytic center, where both ruthenium and adjacent carbon atoms are the possible active sites.

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In this study, a general and effective phosphorization strategy is successfully demonstrated to enhance supercapacitor performance of various transition metals oxide or hydroxide, such as Ni(OH) 2 , Co(OH) 2 , MnO 2 , and Fe 2 O 3 . For example, a 3D networked Ni 2 P nanosheets array via a facile phosphorization reaction of Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets is grown on the surface of a Ni foam. The Ni foam-supported Ni 2 P nanosheet (Ni 2 P NS/NF) electrode shows a remarkable specifi c capacitance of 2141 F g −1 at a scan rate of 50 mV s −1 and remains as high as 1109 F g −1 even at the current density of 83.3 A g −1 . The specifi c capacitance is much larger than those of Ni(OH) 2 NS/NF (747 F g −1 at 50 mV s −1 ). Furthermore, the electrode retains a high specifi c capacitance of 1437 F g −1 even after 5000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g −1 , in sharp contrast with only 403 F g −1 of Ni(OH) 2 NS/NF at the same current density. The similar enhanced performance is observed for Ni 2 P powder, which eliminates the infl uence of nickel foam. The enhanced supercapacitor performances are attributed to the 3D porous nanosheets network, enhanced conductivity, and two active components of Ni 2+ and P δ − with rich valences of Ni 2 P.

Development of non-noble-metal catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with both excellent activity and robust stability has remained a key challenge in the past decades. Herein, for the first time, N-doped carbon-wrapped cobalt nanoparticles supported on N-doped graphene nanosheets were prepared by a facile solvothermal procedure and subsequent calcination at controlled temperatures. The electrocatalytic activity for HER was examined in 0.5 M H2SO4. Electrochemical measurements showed a small overpotential of only −49 mV with a Tafel slope of 79.3 mV/dec. Theoretical calculations based on density functional theory showed that the catalytically active sites were due to carbon atoms promoted by the entrapped cobalt nanoparticles. The results may offer a new methodology for the preparation of effective catalysts for water splitting technology.

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