Fabrication of spinel ferrite based alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolysers for hydrogen production

Abstract

Alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) is considered to be an alternative to proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), owing to the use of non-noble meta/metal oxides in AEMWE. Here, we report a highly durable and low-cost AEM-based electrolysis cell with active spinel ferrite catalysts for hydrogen production. Ce-substituted MnFe₂O₄ was synthesized by a combustion method and investigated as the electro catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Substitution of Ce in the cubic lattice of MnFe₂O₄ increases the conductivity of Ce_xMnFe_(2−x)O₄, which results in a negative shift in the OER onset potential. At 25 °C, the single cell with Ce_0.2MnFe_1.8O₄ exhibited a current density of 300 mA cm⁻² at 1.8 V. Notably, Ce_0.2MnFe_1.8O₄ demonstrates a durability of >100 hours in continuous electrolysis.