Acid-stable oxygen-evolving catalysts: progress in non-precious material engineering and scalability barriers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Oxygen-evolving electrocatalysts are critical for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE).
• Non-precious metal catalysts offer a cost-effective alternative to noble metals for oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review fundamental principles of non-precious metal OER catalysis in acidic media.
• To analyze catalyst activity, stability, and degradation mechanisms in PEMWE.
• To discuss advancements, design strategies, and industrialization barriers for non-precious catalysts.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of non-precious metal catalysts for acidic OER.
• Analysis of catalyst performance metrics (activity and stability).
• Systematic review of PEMWE component degradation and mitigation strategies.

Main Results:

• Non-precious metal catalysts show significant potential for OER in PEMWE.
• Understanding the interplay between activity and stability is crucial.
• Key degradation mechanisms and mitigation strategies have been identified.

Conclusions:

• Non-precious metal catalysts are vital for cost-effective and efficient green hydrogen production via PEMWE.
• Further research is needed to overcome industrialization barriers and enhance long-term stability.
• Integrated fundamental and engineering approaches are essential for developing next-generation catalysts.