Directing Ru-based acidic oxygen evolution catalysts toward a universal dual-site pathway

The oxide path mechanism offers vision possibility from kinetics for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction, yet its universal activation remains elusive due to the difficulty of constructing globally appropriate interatomic distances. Here, we address this challenge in the integrated-screened Y0.1Ir0.2Ru0.7Ox by precisely regulating the Ru-Ru1 bond length and constructing locally ordered yet long-range disordered structures that dissipate lattice strain, thereby enabling homogeneous modulation of interatomic distances across the framework. In-situ infrared spectroscopy together with online mass spectrometry confirms that the catalyst consistently follows a universal pathway. Building on these structural and mechanistic advantages, the nanostructured catalyst achieves a low cell voltage of 1.75 V@3 A cm-2 with operational stability ( > 2800 h @ 3 A cm-2, 0.0625 mV h-1 decay rate) in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. This work establishes a generalizable framework for pervasive dual-site catalysis, providing a paradigm for next-generation water electrolysis anodes and beyond. The elementary steps of oxygen evolution reactions challenge efficient water electrolysis. Here, the authors develop a scalable short-range ordered dual-site strategy that activates the universal oxygen-path mechanism, enabling stable acidic water electrolysis at high current densities.