Rise of wood-based catalytic electrodes for large-scale hydrogen production

Abstract

Large-scale utilization of hydrogen energy is considered as the key to resolve the problem of ever-increasing environmental pollution and energy shortage in today's world. As such, using renewable energy and renewable materials for hydrogen production by water electrolysis has become a research hotspot in the field of hydrogen energy in recent years. Wood, as the most widely sourced and renewable biomass material, has a rich pore structure, numerous hydroxyl groups, excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and modifiable properties. These merits enable wood as a potential candidate for the substrate of self-supporting catalytic electrodes in water electrolysis. However, there is currently a lack of a comprehensive summary of the working mechanism and essential properties of wood-based catalysts for water electrolysis. Here, we provide an overview of the current status, design, construction, and characterization of wood-based catalytic electrodes, including strategies for pretreatment and loading of active sites. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of wood-based catalytic electrodes for large-scale water electrolysis at high current density and propose solutions for industrial-scale implementation. We also explore the future development and challenges of wood-based catalysts in the field of water electrolysis.