Stabilizing NiFe sites by high-dispersity of nanosized and anionic Cr species toward durable seawater oxidation
Electrocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> production from seawater, recognized as a promising technology utilizing offshore renewables, faces challenges from chloride-induced reactions and corrosion. Here, We introduce a catalytic surface where OH<sup>-</sup> dominates over Cl<sup>-</sup> in adsorption and activation, which is crucial for O<sub>2</sub> production. Our NiFe-based anode, enhanced by nearby Cr sites, achieves low overpotentials and selective alkaline seawater oxidation. It outperforms the RuO<sub>2</sub> counterpart in terms of lifespan in scaled-up stacks, maintaining stability for over 2500 h in three-electrode tests. Ex situ/in situ analyses reveal that Cr(III) sites enrich OH<sup>-</sup>, while Cl<sup>-</sup> is repelled by Cr(VI) sites, both of which are well-dispersed and close to NiFe, enhancing charge transfer and overall electrode performance. Such multiple effects fundamentally boost the activity, selectively, and chemical stability of the NiFe-based electrode. This development marks a significant advance in creating durable, noble-metal-free electrodes for alkaline seawater electrolysis, highlighting the importance of well-distributed catalytic sites.
Authors
- Jingxiang Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6023-8887)
- Ting Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3720-7833)
- Tingshuai Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9332-9299)
- Xuwei Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4954-2751)
- Xuping Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5326-3838)
- Zixiao Li
- Jie Liang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6846-2189)
- Qian Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7217-5083)
- Yan Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2222-2144)
- Bo Tang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8712-7025)
- Tingyu Yan
- Dongdong Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7820-5239)
- Chaoxin Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5573-8606)
- Shengjun Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6381-9548)
- Meng Yue
- Zhengwei Cai
- Yongsong Luo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2173-620X)
Institutions
- Harbin Normal University (CN)
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (CN)
- Sichuan University (CN)
- Shandong Normal University (CN)
- West China Hospital of Sichuan University (CN)
- Chengdu University (CN)
- Laoshan Laboratory
- Shandong University of Science and Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-08-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51130-1
- Citations
- 202
- Primary Topic
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 20.68
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province
- Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Heilongjiang Province