Issue 12, 2022

Engineering transition metal catalysts for large-current-density water splitting

Abstract

Electrochemical water splitting plays a crucial role in transferring electricity to hydrogen fuel and appropriate electrocatalysts are crucial to satisfy the strict industrial demand. However, the successfully developed non-noble metal catalysts have a small tested range and the current density is usually less than 100 mA cm−2, which is still far away from the practical application standards. Aiming to provide guidance for the fabrication of more advanced electrocatalysts with a large current density, we herein systematically summarize the recent progress achieved in the field of cost-efficient and large-current-density electrocatalyst design. Beginning by illustrating the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) mechanisms, we elaborate on the concurrent issues of non-noble metal catalysts that are required to be addressed. In view of large-current-density operating conditions, some distinctive features with regard to good electrical conductivity, high intrinsic activity, rich active sites, and porous architecture are also summarized. Next, some representative large-current-density electrocatalysts are classified. Finally, we discuss the challenges associated with large-current-density water electrolysis and future pathways in the hope of guiding the future development of more efficient non-noble-metal catalysts to boost large-scale hydrogen production with less electricity consumption.

Graphical abstract: Engineering transition metal catalysts for large-current-density water splitting

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
05 Janv. 2022
Accepted
11 Febr. 2022
First published
12 Febr. 2022

Dalton Trans., 2022,51, 4590-4607

Engineering transition metal catalysts for large-current-density water splitting

X. Yang, R. Guo, R. Cai, W. Shi, W. Liu, J. Guo and J. Xiao, Dalton Trans., 2022, 51, 4590 DOI: 10.1039/D2DT00037G

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