Research on engineered electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting: a comprehensive review.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Water electrolysis is key for hydrogen generation, vital for addressing global environmental and energy storage issues.
• Current electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) face limitations in efficiency and kinetics.
• Developing earth-abundant transition metal-based electrocatalysts is essential for a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting.
• To highlight novel materials, including metals, alloys, transition metal oxides, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
• To discuss methodologies and theoretical considerations for improving water splitting efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Overview of recent literature on electrocatalyst development for water splitting.
• Analysis of various material classes: transition metals, oxides, MOFs, and metal complexes.
• Discussion of photovoltaic-electrocatalytic (PV-EC) processes for solar-to-hydrogen efficiency.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in designing electrocatalysts with low overpotential and rapid kinetics.
• Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based electrocatalysts show promising functionalities for water splitting.
• Photocatalysts and electrocatalysts with high efficiency are critical for overall water splitting.

Conclusions:

• Advanced electrocatalysts are indispensable for efficient hydrogen production through water electrolysis.
• Systematic design strategies are driving the development of earth-abundant transition metal electrocatalysts.
• Further research into novel materials and fabrication methods is needed to meet the demands of the hydrogen economy.