Shielding Co₃O₄ by Inert Carbonized Polymer Dots Enables Chlorine Resistance Toward Durable Ampere-Level Oxygen...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Seawater electrolysis is vital for green hydrogen production.
• High chloride ion concentrations cause catalyst degradation and electrode corrosion, hindering efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electrocatalyst for stable and efficient seawater electrolysis.
• To overcome the challenges of chloride ion interference and electrode corrosion.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Co3O4@carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) electrocatalyst.
• Electrochemical testing in simulated seawater, including overpotential and durability measurements.
• Experimental and theoretical studies to elucidate the catalytic mechanism and protective effects.

Main Results:

• The Co3O4@CPDs catalyst achieved a low overpotential (270 mV at 500 mA cm⁻²) and excellent durability (4200 h at 600 mA cm⁻²).
• An anion exchange membrane simulated-seawater electrolyzer (AEMSE) demonstrated stable operation for over 1500 h at 1.0 A cm⁻² with a low cell voltage (1.73 V).
• CPDs were found to stabilize lattice oxygen, lower reaction barriers, and form a protective layer against chloride ions.

Conclusions:

• The developed Co3O4@CPDs electrocatalyst effectively mitigates chloride ion corrosion in seawater electrolysis.
• This strategy offers a promising pathway for sustainable hydrogen energy production via direct seawater electrolysis.