The development of efficient and durable non‑precious metal electrocatalysts is essential for low‑cost hydrogen production. However, cobalt‑based hydroxides such as Co(OH) 2 often suffer from structural degradation and chemical dissolution under harsh reaction conditions. To address this challenge, a research team led by Wei Jiang et al. from Jilin Normal University has developed a novel self‑supported electrode via a mild room‑temperature boron reduction strategy. Their work has been published in Nano Research on July 21.
The as‑prepared electrode, denoted as Co‑B@Co(OH) 2 ‑Ru/NF (Co‑B@CRN), exhibits outstanding bifunctional electrocatalytic activity in alkaline medium. It delivers an ultra‑low overpotential of only 20 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 160 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 10 mA cm⁻ 2 . More remarkably, the electrode demonstrates exceptional long‑term stability: it operates continuously for over 400 h at 10 mA cm⁻ 2 and 270 h at a high current density of 200 mA cm⁻ 2 , with only minor potential decay. When assembled into a two‑electrode electrolyzer for overall water splitting, it requires only 1.40 V to reach 10 mA cm⁻ 2 and maintains stable operation for more than 240 h.
“We directly confirmed the presence of the Co–B bond and the mixed‑valence state of cobalt using X‑ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X‑ray absorption near‑edge structure (XANES) analysis,” explains Wei Jiang, corresponding author from Jilin Normal University. “Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal strong hybridization between Co d‑orbitals and B p‑orbitals, leading to a robust Co–B bond and a significant downward shift of the d‑band center at the Co site. This electronic ‘stabilization’ effect greatly suppresses metal leaching during catalysis, which is the key to the ultra‑long durability.”
The research team expects the boron acts not only as an electron acceptor but also induces an amorphous Co–B phase that works synergistically with Ru nanocrystals to optimize the water dissociation step. Importantly, the heterointerface protects the noble metal Ru from deep oxidation while maintaining spatial uniformity of active sites. This design resolves the critical trade‑off between high activity and long lifetime.
The synthesis strategy is simple, mild and scalable, offering a rational approach for stabilizing active sites through strong main-group-element-metal bonds. The team believes that this boron‑reduction strategy can be extended to other transition‑metal systems, providing a dynamic regulation mechanism for electronic structures and coordination environments.
This work was supported by the Project of Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission (2024C020‑8).
DOI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2026.94908760
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.
Nano Research
Enhanced electrode stability over engineering Co-B bonds in Co(OH)₂-Ru heterostructure for electrocatalytic water splitting
21-Jul-2026