Robust and Corrosion-Resistant Overall Water Splitting Electrode Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Electrolysis of water is crucial for renewable energy, requiring efficient and durable catalysts.
• Copper foam, a common catalyst support, suffers from poor mechanical strength and corrosion resistance.
• Titanium alloy (Ti64) offers superior mechanical and corrosion resistance, making it a potential alternative support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust and corrosion-resistant catalyst support for water electrolysis.
• To enhance the performance of catalyst supports using 3D printing and advanced materials.
• To evaluate the catalytic activity and stability of the novel electrode design.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D porous Ti64 support using selective laser sintering (SLM).
• Coating the Ti64 support with a nickel (Ni) conductive layer.
• Deposition of cobalt-nickel carbonate hydroxide nanoneedles (CoNiCH) as the catalyst.
• Electrochemical testing for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and overall water splitting.
• Mechanical compression testing and long-term stability evaluation.

Main Results:

• The Ti64/Ni/CoNiCH electrode achieved 30 mA cm⁻² at a low overpotential of 200 mV for OER.
• The electrode maintained structural integrity and catalytic efficiency after compression at 15.04 MPa.
• Computational analysis indicated superior catalytic activity at the Ni site within the CoNiCH catalyst.
• The electrode reached 30 mA cm⁻² at 1.75 V during full water splitting with negligible degradation over 60 hours.

Conclusions:

• A novel, robust, and corrosion-resistant catalyst support for water electrolysis was successfully fabricated.
• The 3D porous Ti64/Ni/CoNiCH electrode exhibits excellent catalytic performance and durability.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for designing high-performance electrodes for demanding electrochemical applications.