Proton
exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is considered
an ideal green hydrogen production technology with promising application
prospects. However, the development of efficient and stable acid electroanalytic
oxygen electrocatalysts is still a challenging bottleneck. This progress
is achieved by adopting a strategic approach with the introduction
of the high valence metal Ta to regulate the electronic configuration
of RuO2 by manipulating its local microenvironment to optimize
the stability and activity of the electrocatalysts. The Ta-RuO2 catalysts are notable for their excellent electrocatalytic
activity, as evidenced by an overpotential of only 202 mV at 10 mA
cm–2, which significantly exceeds that of homemade
RuO2 and commercial RuO2. Furthermore, the Ta-RuO2 catalyst exhibits exceptional stability with negligible potential
reduction observed after 50 h of electrolysis. Theoretical calculations
show that the asymmetric configuration of Ru–O–Ta breaks
the thermodynamic activity limitations usually associated with adsorption
evolution, weakening the energy barrier for the formation of the OOH*
formation. The strategic approach presented in this study provides
an important reference for the development of a stable active center
for acid water splitting.