Enhancing Water Electrolysis through Interfacial Design of Nickel Foam

Water electrolysis recognizes nickel foam (NF) as an effective current collector due to its excellent conductivity. However, recent studies highlighted NF's effect on the efficacy of various electrocatalytic reactions, primarily due to the presence of electroactive chemical species at its interface. In contrast, numerous reports suggested that NF has a negligible impact on overall electrocatalytic activity. When evaluated against other current collectors, NF-supported catalysts demonstrate better electrochemical activity, predominantly due to NF's interfacial design. This study presents an electrochemically relevant NF with a flexible interfacial design, supported by case studies and insights into promising future directions. This Perspective reveals the advantages, challenges, and overall applicability of NF's interfacial design with the context of electrocatalytic water splitting in mind.