Utilizing MOF (UiO-67)-Modified Electrodes for Hydrogen Production from Produced Water: Recycling Industrial Effluents for Green Energy

Abstract This study investigates the development of MOF-modified electrodes (UiO-67) as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using produced water as a sustainable electrolyte. The MOFs were modified with cobalt and nickel via electrochemical deposition, and the structural and the electrochemical characterizations (PXRD, FTIR, SEM, voltammetry) confirmed successful metal incorporation and enhanced electrocatalyst performance. Ni@UiO-67 showed superior HER activity in brine produced water (BPW), reaching −40 mA/cm². Notably, Co@UiO-67 exhibited the highest performance in real produced water (RPW), reaching ca. −65 mA/cm², reflecting strong impurity tolerance. This work is among the first to systematically assess MOF-based electrocatalysts in both brine and real produced water, highlighting the role of MOF structure and metal choice in enabling scalable and sustainable hydrogen production from industrial wastewater.