Interfacial water modulation through Lewis acid-base pairs for efficient hydrogen evolution in seawater

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Seawater electrolysis faces challenges from chloride corrosion and hydroxide precipitation.
• Developing robust catalysts is crucial for efficient hydrogen production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a catalyst resistant to corrosion and precipitation for seawater electrolysis.
• To enhance hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics and catalyst stability.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of high-valent Niobium (Nb) into Ni5P4 catalyst.
• Lewis acid-base synergistic regulation of interfacial water structure.
• In-situ characterization and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations.
• Bubble dynamics visualization.

Main Results:

• Nb-Ni5P4 exhibits dual active sites, enhancing water dissociation and HER kinetics.
• The catalyst suppresses chloride adsorption and hydroxide precipitation.
• Achieved high current densities (1000 mA cm⁻² at 333 mV in alkaline seawater) and stability (>500 h in AEM).

Conclusions:

• Nb-Ni5P4 offers a new design for efficient, corrosion-resistant, and scale-resistant seawater hydrogen production.
• The study establishes a Lewis acid-base dual-site and interfacial fluid dynamics regulation mechanism.