Corrosion-resistant titanium-based electrodes synergistically stabilized with polymer for hydrogen evolution reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Industrial hydrogen production via water electrolysis requires stable, corrosion-resistant electrodes.
• Premature electrode failure due to corrosion and stress damage hinders large-scale hydrogen generation.
• Developing robust electrode materials is essential for efficient and economical electrolysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a highly stable and corrosion-resistant catalytic electrode for industrial water electrolysis.
• To address the challenges of premature electrode failure caused by corrosion and stress.
• To enhance the reliability and efficiency of electrodes in extreme industrial environments.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a catalytic electrode (15%PANI-NiB@Ti) on a titanium substrate using a mild chemical plating process.
• Incorporation of conductive and crack-resistant polyaniline (PANI) as a stabilizer.
• Testing electrode performance under continuous operation at a current density of 200 mA cm⁻² in a 323.15 K environment.

Main Results:

• The 15%PANI-NiB@Ti catalytic electrodes operated continuously for 350 hours with 98.4% efficiency.
• The electrodes exhibited excellent stability, corrosion resistance, and crack resistance.
• Demonstrated good catalytic performance and reliability in high temperature, air, and high current density conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed 15%PANI-NiB@Ti catalytic electrodes offer an economical and feasible approach for industrial hydrogen production.
• The polyaniline stabilizer effectively enhances electrode durability and resistance to stress and corrosion.
• This novel electrode design provides a promising solution for the industrial application of transition metal catalytic electrodes.