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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
Published on: March 10, 2023
Strain Effect Triggers Pt Adaptive Mechanism to Construct Brønsted Acid Microenvironment for Ampere-Level Hydrogen
Nianpeng Li1,2,3, Linfeng Xiao1,3, Anran Chen1
1Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection and Resource Utilization of River-lake Networks, Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
Abstract:
Intermittent renewable energy-driven seawater hydrogen production can alleviate freshwater resource pressure and is of great significance in future energy systems. However, the localized microenvironment changes at the cathode and the strong interactions between other impurities and the electrolyzer lead to performance degradation and reduced equipment lifespan. Here, we report an alkaline seawater cathode catalyst for hydrogen production in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE). This catalyst can dynamically adjust the local reaction environment on the cathode surface. Through the reversible changes in the oxidation state of Pt in high-entropy intermetallic compounds, a Brønsted acid-like environment is formed near the reaction interface, inhibiting the formation of precipitates. In situ characterization confirmed that this Brønsted acid-like environment can promote hydrogen production from alkaline seawater. Using alkaline seawater electrolysis, AEMWE operated stably for over 2000 h at an industrial-grade current density of 1.0 A cm-2 (1.74 V).
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