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Stabilizing NiFe sites by high-dispersity of nanosized and anionic Cr species toward durable seawater oxidation.

Zhengwei CaiJie LiangZixiao LiTingyu YanChaoxin YangShengjun SunMeng YueXuwei LiuTing XieYan WangTingshuai LiYongsong LuoDongdong ZhengQian LiuJingxiang ZhaoXuping SunBo Tang
Published in: Nature communications (2024)
Electrocatalytic H 2 production from seawater, recognized as a promising technology utilizing offshore renewables, faces challenges from chloride-induced reactions and corrosion. Here, We introduce a catalytic surface where OH - dominates over Cl - in adsorption and activation, which is crucial for O 2 production. Our NiFe-based anode, enhanced by nearby Cr sites, achieves low overpotentials and selective alkaline seawater oxidation. It outperforms the RuO 2 counterpart in terms of lifespan in scaled-up stacks, maintaining stability for over 2500 h in three-electrode tests. Ex situ/in situ analyses reveal that Cr(III) sites enrich OH - , while Cl - is repelled by Cr(VI) sites, both of which are well-dispersed and close to NiFe, enhancing charge transfer and overall electrode performance. Such multiple effects fundamentally boost the activity, selectively, and chemical stability of the NiFe-based electrode. This development marks a significant advance in creating durable, noble-metal-free electrodes for alkaline seawater electrolysis, highlighting the importance of well-distributed catalytic sites.
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