Oxidative reconstructed Ru-based nanoclusters forming heterostructures with lanthanide oxides for acidic water oxidation.

Achieving rapid anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and improving the stability of the corresponding ruthenium (Ru)-based catalysts is a current priority for the realisation of industrial water splitting. However, the activity and stability of O evolution in electrocatalysis are largely inhibited by the insufficient adsorption of the reactant HO and too strong adsorption of the intermediate OOH*, as well as by the dissolution of the active site due to excessive oxidation. To solve this challenge, herein, we developed a regulatory strategy combining lanthanide oxides and metal oxidative reconfiguration.