Dynamic Reconstruction Engineering of Anti-Corrosion Ni-based Anodes for Alkaline Seawater Electrolysis

Green hydrogen production via alkaline seawater electrolysis offers an environmentally sustainable and potentially cost-effective route to address both energy and climate challenges. Achieving long-term anode stability under complex ionic environments and industrial current densities remains a central bottleneck. Specifically, Ni-based anodes exhibit intense surface reconstruction during the oxygen evolution reaction, necessitating dynamic anti-corrosion strategies. This mini review systematically summarizes reconstruction engineering approaches to develop anti-corrosion Ni-based anodes of alkaline seawater electrolysis across increasingly complex ionic environments from simulated seawater to real seawater: (i) Cl– dominated; (ii) Cl– with co-existing oxyanions, and (iii) Cl– with co-existing Br– . Notably, the progress achieved by our group in dynamic reconstruction engineering is highlighted, as well as reported advances on reconstruction-induced chemical adsorption/fixation strategies to provide a broader mechanistic understanding. In a Cl– dominated corrosive environment, the introduction of Ag component enables in situ reconstruction into AgCl under the operating potential. This process immobilizes Cl– via AgCl formation and simultaneously suppresses interfacial Cl– enrichment and penetration through a co-ion exclusion effect. For Cl– with co-existing oxyanions, the oxyhydroxide species generated by Ni-based surface reconstruction preferentially adsorb oxygen-containing anions, thereby forming a stable anionic shielding layer. This layer lowers the probability of Cl– approach and adsorption, leading to effective mitigation of Cl–-induced corrosion. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying bromide-induced anodic corrosion in Cl– with co-existing Br– are summarized, together with relevant reconstruction inhibition strategies. Finally, transferable anode design principles are proposed to push seawater electrolysis from materials demonstrations to device-level reliable operation.