A corrosion-resistant RuMoNi catalyst for efficient and long-lasting seawater oxidation and anion exchange membrane...

Direct seawater electrolysis is promising for sustainable hydrogen gas (H₂) production. However, the chloride ions in seawater lead to side reactions and corrosion, which result in a low efficiency and poor stability of the electrocatalyst and hinder the use of seawater electrolysis technology. Here we report a corrosion-resistant RuMoNi electrocatalyst, in which the in situ-formed molybdate ions on its surface repel chloride ions. The electrocatalyst works stably for over 3000 h at a high current density of 500 mA cm^-2 in alkaline seawater electrolytes. Using the RuMoNi catalyst in an anion exchange membrane electrolyzer, we report an energy conversion efficiency of 77.9% and a current density of 1000 mA cm^-2 at 1.72 V. The calculated price per gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE) of the H₂ produced is $ 0.85, which is lower than the 2026 technical target of $ 2.0/GGE set by the United Stated Department of Energy, thus, suggesting practicability of the technology.