Issue 12, 2025

Efficient hydrogen evolution at Ni/CeOx interfaces in anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers

Abstract

A macro/mesoporous film with Ni/CeOx interfaces is designed via the dynamic hydrogen bubble template (DHBT) method for ampere-level production of hydrogen in anion exchange membrane water electrolysers (AEMWEs). The AEMWE achieves leading energy efficiencies of 95% and 80%, based on the higher and lower heating values of hydrogen, respectively, at 0.25 A cm−2, producing hydrogen at 42 kW h kg−1 and a cost of $0.84 per kg, thereby meeting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) price target ($1 per kg) for 2030. A current density of 5 A cm−2 is achieved at 2.08 V and 60 °C in the AEMWE, with overall cell activation and concentration overpotentials of 594 mV, establishing a leading position in the field. The Ni/CeOx catalyst exhibits superb hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity by delivering 1 A cm−2 at an overpotential of 201 mV at 20 °C, far surpassing Ni, CeOx, and benchmark Pt/C catalysts. Electrochemical and theoretical calculations reveal accelerated charge transfer due to the preferential adsorption of intermediates at the tailored defective interfaces during hydrogen evolution. Hydrogen evolving during electro-deposition forms 3D channels for bubble removal in the AEMWE, akin to a hydrogen memory, speeding up mass transfer.

Graphical abstract: Efficient hydrogen evolution at Ni/CeOx interfaces in anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers

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Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 Dec 2024
Accepted
12 May 2025
First published
27 May 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Energy Environ. Sci., 2025,18, 6248-6259

Efficient hydrogen evolution at Ni/CeOx interfaces in anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers

I. O. Baibars, H. Huang, Y. Xiao, S. Wang, Y. Nie, C. Jia, K. Dastafkan and C. Zhao, Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, 18, 6248 DOI: 10.1039/D4EE06113F

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