Exploring the Potential of Ni-Based Hydrogen Evolution Catalysts in Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer

The pressing need for sustainable hydrogen production has spotlighted anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) as a promising technology, due to its potential for cost-effective and efficient hydrogen evolution. Nickel (Ni)-based catalysts have emerged as pivotal players in this domain, offering a compelling alternative to noble metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in AEMWE. Despite their widespread use, challenges such as insufficient activity, conductivity, and long-term stability under alkaline conditions hinder their commercial scalability. This review provides a systematic exploration of Ni-based catalysts for HER in AEMWE, beginning with an in-depth analysis of design principles, including reaction mechanisms, key performance descriptors, and their interrelationships. Subsequently, we categorize advanced regulation strategies for Ni-based HER catalysts into distinct approaches, offering a critical evaluation of catalyst design, synthesis methods, electrocatalytic performance, and representative examples alongside current limitations. The diverse types of Ni-based HER catalysts, including metals/alloys, oxides/hydroxides, and Ni-based composites, are examined, highlighting their respective advantages and drawbacks. We also review the latest research progress on Ni-based catalysts in practical AEMWE devices. Finally, this review concludes with a discussion of challenges and future prospects, aiming to guide the development of Ni-based HER catalysts for industrial-scale hydrogen production via AEMWE.