Recent progress on synthesis and electrocatalytic applications of Ni-based alloy catalysts

Ni-based alloys represent a significant class of non-precious metal electrocatalysts, featuring tunable compositions, favorable electronic properties, and excellent chemical stability in alkaline media. Introducing a secondary element into Ni alters its electronic structure and surface coordination environment, thereby modulating the adsorption behavior of key reaction intermediates and enhancing overall catalytic performance. Recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of this alloying strategy across a broad range of electrocatalytic reactions. This review summarizes the synthesis and applications of Ni-based alloy catalysts in electrochemical energy production and conversion. Synthesis methods for various Ni-based alloy electrocatalysts are discussed, including thermal treatment, liquid-phase synthesis, and vapor-phase synthesis approaches. The applications of Ni-based catalysts in diverse electrocatalytic processes are summarized, including hydrogen oxidation, hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction, and CO₂ reduction reactions. The mechanisms underlying these processes are analyzed, especially the factors influencing their activity and selectivity. Particular attention is given to the correlations between alloy composition, structural features, and catalytic behavior. Finally, remaining challenges related to active site identification, stability under operational conditions, and scalable synthesis are discussed, along with prospects for future research on Ni-based alloy electrocatalysts.