Evaluating Ru-RuO ₂ @BN as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for the Nitrogen Reduction Reaction and the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Electrochemical approaches toward clean energy production have been the focus of significant attention. The nitrogen (N2) reduction reaction (NRR) and the hydrogen (H2) evolution reaction (HER) offer a promising method for producing NH3 and H2, respectively. Nevertheless, practical obstacles that must be overcome in creating optimal catalysts are the sluggish kinetics and low selectivity of NRR and HER. Herein, we report on the synthesis of a Ru–RuO2-decorated boron nitride (BN) catalyst that shows excellent activity toward NRR. A rate of NH3 formation (VNH3) of 16.8 μg h–1 mg–1 and a corresponding Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 52.9% were noted at a potential of −0.5 V in 0.1 M HCl. However, the HER activity of Ru–RuO2@BN was found to be highly suppressed in 0.1 M HCl and did not yield a reasonable overpotential value. Thus, the capability of this material toward NRR suggests its viability as a promising catalyst for clean NH3 production.