Microenvironment-Engineered Multilayered Electrode Design for Sustainable Seawater Oxidation.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• High-purity water reliance for hydrogen production strains freshwater resources.
• Direct seawater electrolysis faces challenges like chloride corrosion and electrode fouling.
• Developing stable and efficient seawater electrolysis is crucial for sustainable hydrogen generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a microenvironment-engineered, multilayered electrode for sustainable direct seawater electrolysis.
• To address chloride-induced corrosion and electrode fouling in saline environments.
• To enhance the efficiency and stability of hydrogen production from seawater.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a multilayered electrode using Cobalt layered double hydroxides (Co LDH) and NiBOx nanostructures on a Ni(OH)2/NF microarray.
• Integration of carbonate (CO₃²⁻) Lewis base sites onto Cobalt active sites.
• Incorporation of boron into the Ni-OOH matrix to form a protective metaborate film.

Main Results:

• The electrode design demonstrated enhanced corrosion resistance in saline conditions due to a protective metaborate film.
• Localized acidic microenvironments were generated, improving oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and preventing chloride attack.
• The anode achieved an industrially relevant current density of 1.0 A cm⁻² at 1.65 V, showcasing high efficiency and stability.

Conclusions:

• The microenvironment-engineered electrode design offers a viable solution for stable and efficient direct seawater electrolysis.
• This advancement paves the way for scalable, desalination-free hydrogen production directly from seawater.
• The developed electrode technology significantly contributes to sustainable energy solutions by utilizing abundant seawater resources.