Ni@Ru and NiCo@Ru Core–Shell Hexagonal Nanosandwiches with a Compositionally Tunable Core and a Regioselectively Grown Shell

Abstract The development of highly active electrocatalysts is crucial for the advancement of renewable energy conversion devices. The design of core–shell nanoparticle catalysts represents a promising approach to boost catalytic activity as well as save the use of expensive precious metals. Here, a simple, one‐step synthetic route is reported to prepare hexagonal nanosandwich‐shaped Ni@Ru core–shell nanoparticles (Ni@Ru HNS), in which Ru shell layers are overgrown in a regioselective manner on the top and bottom, and around the center section of a hexagonal Ni nanoplate core. Notably, the synthesis can be extended to NiCo@Ru core–shell nanoparticles with tunable core compositions (Ni3Cox@Ru HNS). Core–shell HNS structures show superior electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to a commercial RuO2 black catalyst, with their OER activity being dependent on their co…