biostudies-literatureZhao SNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)2728https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10980754biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)Establishing appropriate metal-support interactions is imperative for acquiring efficient and corrosion-resistant catalysts for water splitting. Herein, the interaction mechanism between Ru nanoparticles and a series of titanium oxides, including TiO, Ti₄O₇ and TiO_2, designed via facile non-stoichiometric engineering is systematically studied. Ti₄O_7, with the unique band structure, high conductivity and chemical stability, endows with ingenious metal-support interaction through interfacial Ti-O-Ru units, which stabilizes Ru species during OER and triggers hydrogen spillover to accelerate HER kinetics. As expected, Ru/Ti₄O₇ displays ultralow overpotentials of 8 mV and 150 mV for HER and OER with a long operation of 500 h at 10 mA cm^-2 in acidic media, which is expanded in pH-universal environments. Benefitting from the excellent bifunctional performance, the proton exchange membrane and anion exchange membrane electrolyzer assembled with Ru/Ti₄O₇ achieves superior performance and robust operation. The work paves the way for efficient energy conversion devices.Nature communicationsConstructing regulable supports via non-stoichiometric engineering to stabilize ruthenium nanoparticles for enhanced pH-universal water splitting.PMC1098075422075141Hu FZhao SLi SPeng SHung SFZeng WJChen HYDeng LXiao TKuo CHfalseConstructing regulable supports via non-stoichiometric engineering to stabilize ruthenium nanoparticles for enhanced pH-universal water splitting.Establishing appropriate metal-support interactions is imperative for acquiring efficient and corrosion-resistant catalysts for water splitting. Herein, the interaction mechanism between Ru nanoparticles and a series of titanium oxides, including TiO, Ti₄O₇ and TiO_2, designed via facile non-stoichiometric engineering is systematically studied. Ti₄O_7, with the unique band structure, high conductivity and chemical stability, endows with ingenious metal-support interaction through interfacial Ti-O-Ru units, which stabilizes Ru species during OER and triggers hydrogen spillover to accelerate HER kinetics. As expected, Ru/Ti₄O₇ displays ultralow overpotentials of 8 mV and 150 mV for HER and OER with a long operation of 500 h at 10 mA cm^-2 in acidic media, which is expanded in pH-universal environments. Benefitting from the excellent bifunctional performance, the proton exchange membrane and anion exchange membrane electrolyzer assembled with Ru/Ti₄O₇ achieves superior performance and robust operation. The work paves the way for efficient energy conversion devices.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Mar2025-04-26T17:43:56.597Z2025-04-06T15:36:32.721ZS-EPMC109807543855343410.1038/s41467-024-46750-6