Sacrificial Template-Derived CoMo-LDH Gas Diffusion Electrode for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) offers a cost-effective and efficient platform for hydrogen production by enabling the use of non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) electrode materials. However, the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a key challenge. In this study, a CoMo-LDH OER electrode for AEMWE is developed via a sacrificial template strategy. The high valence state of Mo promotes oxygen vacancy formation, enhancing OER performance. Electrochemical reconstruction also induces a phase transition into active (oxy)hydroxide species during OER. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the weak OH^- adsorption energy of CoMo-LDH lowers the energy barrier for OH^- deprotonation, improving catalytic activity. The CoMo-LDH electrode demonstrates superior performance in AEMWE compared to the PGM-based IrO₂ electrode. This study highlights the potential of sacrificial template-based electrodes for high-performance AEMWE.