Recent advances and future prospects of ruthenium phosphide electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction

Electrochemical water splitting is a highly promising approach for producing carbon–neutral hydrogen. The development of efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial to lowering the energy barriers and enhancing hydrogen production. This drives the search for HER electrocatalysts that are not only cost-effective and abundant but also exhibit high activity and long-term stability. In this review, we provide an in-depth analysis of recent progress in the application of ruthenium phosphides as HER electrocatalysts, offering key insights into their design and performance. Meanwhile, we explore various strategies to enhance their catalytic efficiency, such as increasing the availability of active sites and optimizing their electronic structure. Finally, we outline the key challenges and future directions for developing the next generation of ruthenium phosphide-based HER electrocatalysts.