Development of a high-performance electrolyzer for efficient hydrogen production via electrode modification with a commercial catalyst

A potential strategy to promote the use of clean energy is the development of catalyst-coated cathodic electrodes that are economical, effective, and sustainable to enhance the generation of hydrogen (H 2 ) through the electrolysis process. This study investigates the unique design and use of stainless steel (SS) coated with a Cu-NiZnFeOx catalyst as both anode and cathode electrodes in the alkaline electrolysis process. The electrode exhibits an improved electrochemical behavior, achieving a current density of 92 mA/cm 2 at an applied voltage of 2.5 V with a surface area of 36 cm 2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte at 25 °C. Furthermore, the H 2 production is systematically investigated by varying electrolyte concentration, applied voltage, and temperature. The results demonstrate that H 2 production increases significantly with enhanced electrolyte concentration (3102 mL at 2 M KOH), applied voltage (3468 mL at 3.0 V), and temperature (3202 mL at 60 °C) over a 300 min electrolysis time. However, optimal operating conditions are determined to be 1 M KOH, 2.5 V, and 25 °C, balancing performance and energy efficiency. The improved performance is primarily attributed to enhanced ionic conductivity, reduced internal resistance, and the synergistic catalytic activity of the Cu-integrated NiZnFeOx coating. • Cu-NiZnFeOx coated stainless steel is prepared for catalyzing hydrogen production. • Coating boosts stability and current density to 0.18 A/cm 2 in alkaline media. • Efficient H 2 production of 4300 mL is achieved in 2 M KOH solution at 2.5 V. • Better H 2 production is obtained through Cu synergy, conductivity, and resistance drop. • Cu-NiZnFeOx cathode presents great hydrogen production in alkaline electrolysis.