Bidirectional Hydrogen Spillover Enables High Activity Catalysts for Rechargeable Hydrogen Batteries

Y Yidi Wang H Hongxu Liu (Department of Chemistry) Z Zhenshan Lv (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China) Y Yameng Fan (School of Science) G Guili Zhao (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 P. R. China) J Jingwen Xu (Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale) S Shunxin Tan (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China) P Peiyan Tong (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui China) S Shuyang Wei (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China) Z Ziwei Zhang D Dongyang Shen (Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China) X Xiangyang Li T Taoli Jiang (Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale) W Wei Chen

Abstract

AbstractRechargeable hydrogen batteries exhibit superior electrochemical activity for hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions (HER/HOR) in acidic media compared to alkaline counterparts, making them promising for large‐scale energy storage. However, the development of efficient electrocatalysts for both HER and HOR in acidic media remains challenging, as conventional platinum‐based catalysts face intrinsic limitations in simultaneously achieving high activity and long‐term stability under harsh operating conditions. Herein, we introduce a bidirectional hydrogen spillover strategy to enable synergistic bifunctional HER/HOR catalysts for hydrogen batteries. We demonstrate a Ru–WO3 catalyst grown on Cu foam (Ru–WO3@CF), where the interaction between Ru and WO3 enables dynamic shuttling of adsorbed hydrogen species under alternating potentials. The Ru–WO3@CF electrode demonstrates exceptional HER/HOR bifunctionality in acidic media (0.5 M H2SO4), achieving an ultralow HER overpotential of 17 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and an HOR current density of 21.5 mA cm−2 at 50 mV — both significantly outperforming commercial Pt/C benchmarks. The hydrogen battery fabricated with Ru–WO3@CF demonstrates exceptional performance across a wide range of temperatures. This work aims to explore the feasibility of bidirectional hydrogen spillover in enhancing the bifunctional catalytic activities toward HER/HOR, providing new insights for high‐performance hydrogen batteries.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 41
Published October 06, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

Y

Yidi Wang

H

Hongxu Liu

Department of Chemistry

Z

Zhenshan Lv

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China

Y

Yameng Fan

School of Science

G

Guili Zhao

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 P. R. China

J

Jingwen Xu

Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale

S

Shunxin Tan

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China

P

Peiyan Tong

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui China

S

Shuyang Wei

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China

Z

Ziwei Zhang

D

Dongyang Shen

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230026 China

X

Xiangyang Li

T

Taoli Jiang

Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale

W

Wei Chen