Joule Heating for Metal Oxide Electrocatalyst Fabrication: A Fast-Track Strategy for Water Electrolysis

Joule heating is a rapid synthesis technique for preparing metal oxides, enabling the completion of material fabrication within extremely short timescales. This method effectively prevents the prolonged exposure of active sites to high temperatures, thereby suppressing their agglomeration. Essentially, it provides a novel strategy for the design and fabrication of metal oxide catalysts. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of Joule heating for the rapid synthesis of metal-oxide electrocatalysts utilized in water electrolysis, including the oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution, and small-molecule oxidation reactions. Furthermore, the challenges associated with this technique and its future prospects are critically discussed with the aim of offering valuable insights for the rational design and practical implementation of efficient electrocatalysts.