Si Decoration Tuning the Electrocatalytic Activity of Ru via Turing Pattern Design

Abstract Green hydrogen, produced via renewable‐energy‐driven water electrolysis, is among the most promising new energy carriers. Ru is a potential catalyst for this purpose; however, its strong hydrogen binding strength results in poor reaction kinetics, limiting its application potential. Creating a new Ru structure by introducing a second element is crucial for optimizing its catalytic performance. However, only a few studies have explored this approach, leaving the understanding of how chemical composition influences Ru's structure and catalytic activity elusive. Here, a systematic study is reported on Si decoration of Ru, achieving a tunable local environment around Ru and optimized reaction kinetics. By constructing a Ru‐SiO_x interleaved Turing‐patterned structure, the ratio of Si coordinated to Ru is tuned by well‐designed selective etching. With increasing Si content, the H‐binding strength on the Ru center is progressively weakened, resulting in a V‐shaped trend in hydrogen production activity. The optimized sample exhibits a low overpotential of 21 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² in alkaline solution, along with a Tafel slope of 40 mV dec⁻¹, surpassing the performance of commercial Pt/C. This study establishes a valuable framework for optimizing the surface properties and catalytic activity of noble metals.