Recent advances in non-precious metal catalysts for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis

The increasing global demand for green and sustainable energy has positioned hydrogen as a crucial energy carrier. Among various production methods, water electrolysis, particularly anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE), holds a promising technology to produce a large quantity of green hydrogen. To ensure economic viability and sustainability, it is essential to develop highly active, stable, and cost-effective non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for AEMWE. Significant research efforts have focused on catalyst development and the overall performance of AEMWE cells in recent years, underscoring the need for a consolidated and up-to-date analysis of the field. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AEMWE technology, including its working principles, cell configurations, operational parameters, and mechanism. Furthermore, it discusses the various components of AEMWE and their impact on sustainable operation. A particular emphasis is given to a detailed survey of the recent advancements in non-precious metal catalysts for AEMWE applications. Finally, the major challenges are critically analyzed, alongside potential strategies to overcome them. Overall, this review aims to provide perspectives into current developments and outline future research directions toward achieving efficient, scalable, and sustainable hydrogen production through AEMWE.