@article{Hu2025, 
author = {Xiaolin Hu and Chengbin Cai and Yuru Wang and Shiyue Zhang and Xiaolong Guo and Haozhi Wang and Yida Deng},
title = {Ru single atoms regulate electron distribution in defective NiFe LDH for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction},
year = {2025},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {18},
number = {12},
pages = {94908120},
keywords = {oxygen evolution reaction, layered double hydroxide, Zn-air battery, electronic effect, Ru single atoms},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2025.94908120},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2025.94908120},
abstract = {Supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) demonstrate exceptional catalytic performance, atom efficiency, and selectivity, as a result, they are the potential candidates used in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, stabilizing monodispersed noble-metal atoms is challenging. This is especially true for two-dimensional (2D) layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanostructures. Here, we report the successful stabilization of ruthenium (Ru) single atoms (SAs). These SAs are located within a defective NiFe LDH nanosheet grown on the nickel foam (NF). This material is named Ru SAs/D-NiFe LDH@NF and formed through the hydrothermal reaction followed by etching. The resulting catalyst exhibits outstanding OER performance in alkaline media, achieving an exceedingly low overpotential (206 mV) at 50 mA·cm−2, which remarkably decreases relative to the overpotential in pristine NiFe LDH (311 mV). Ru SAs regulate the electron distribution near defects, optimizing the Ru-NiFe hydroxide interaction and diminishing energy barrier for forming  ∗OOH intermediates, as revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, the catalyst demonstrates remarkable stability in Zn-air batteries (ZABs), delivering the maximal power density (170 mW·cm−2). Furthermore, it maintains stable operation for 350 h, highlighting its practical viability. This work provides a versatile strategy for integrating single-atom sites into NiFe LDH, paving the way for the design of next-generation SACs for energy conversion applications.}
}