Li Zhangwei, Wu Xueyan, Liang Fucang, Lv Yan, Guo Jixi
State Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Utilization of Carbon Based Energy Resources; College of Chemistry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, Xinjiang, P. R. China.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2025 Jul 30;17(30):43011-43019. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c07999. Epub 2025 Jul 18.
Seawater electrocatalysis offers a promising pathway for renewable energy generation, yet the issue of chloride-induced electrode corrosion urgently requires resolution. This study presents a highly durable and corrosion-resistant Ce-Co(OH)@FeOOH electrocatalyst, where an in situ generated CeO nanoparticles' layer effectively blocks chloride ions, thereby protecting the catalyst. The system demonstrates remarkable stability, maintaining electrolysis for 2500 h at 2 A cm and for 400 h in high-salinity environments (2 M NaCl). In an assembled anion exchange membrane device, it needs a voltage of just 1.75 V to reach 500 mA cm and operates stably over 500 h in both alkaline and highly alkaline environments (1M/6 M KOH + seawater), showcasing high efficiency (71% at 500 mA cm). Notably, the calculated hydrogen production cost reaches as low as $0.93 per gallon of equivalent gasoline (GGE), significantly below the $2 benchmark. This in situ oxidation mechanism enhances corrosion resistance during seawater electrolysis, positioning this catalyst as a commercially viable candidate material.
海水电催化为可再生能源的产生提供了一条有前景的途径，然而氯离子引起的电极腐蚀问题迫切需要解决。本研究提出了一种高度耐用且耐腐蚀的Ce-Co(OH)@FeOOH电催化剂，其中原位生成的CeO纳米颗粒层有效地阻挡了氯离子，从而保护了催化剂。该系统表现出卓越的稳定性，在2 A cm²下可维持2500小时的电解，在高盐环境（2 M NaCl）中可维持400小时。在组装的阴离子交换膜装置中，达到500 mA cm²仅需1.75 V的电压，并且在碱性和高碱性环境（1M/6 M KOH + 海水）中均可稳定运行超过500小时，展示出高效率（在500 mA cm²时为71%）。值得注意的是，计算得出的制氢成本低至每加仑当量汽油（GGE）0.93美元，显著低于2美元的基准。这种原位氧化机制增强了海水电解过程中的耐腐蚀性，使该催化剂成为一种具有商业可行性的候选材料。
