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

Zhengwei Cai; Jie Liang; Zixiao Li; Tingyu Yan; Chaoxin Yang; Shengjun Sun; Meng Yue; Xuwei Liu; Ting Xie; Yan Wang; Tingshuai Li; Yongsong Luo; Dongdong Zheng; Qian Liu; Jingxiang Zhao; Xuping Sun; Bo Tang

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51130-1

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

Nat Commun. 2024 Aug 5;15(1):6624. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51130-1.

Authors

Zhengwei Cai^#¹, Jie Liang^#², Zixiao Li², Tingyu Yan³, Chaoxin Yang¹, Shengjun Sun¹, Meng Yue¹, Xuwei Liu², Ting Xie², Yan Wang⁴, Tingshuai Li², Yongsong Luo¹, Dongdong Zheng¹, Qian Liu⁵, Jingxiang Zhao⁶, Xuping Sun^{7

8

9}, Bo Tang^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
² Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
³ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Bandgap Materials, Ministry of Education, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
⁴ School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. wy@uestc.edu.cn.
⁵ Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁶ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Bandgap Materials, Ministry of Education, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. zhaojingxiang@hrbnu.edu.cn.
⁷ College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China. xpsun@uestc.edu.cn.
⁸ Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. xpsun@uestc.edu.cn.
⁹ Center for High Altitude Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. xpsun@uestc.edu.cn.
¹⁰ College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China. tangb@sdnu.edu.cn.
¹¹ Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, Shandong, China. tangb@sdnu.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Electrocatalytic H₂ 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 O₂ production. Our NiFe-based anode, enhanced by nearby Cr sites, achieves low overpotentials and selective alkaline seawater oxidation. It outperforms the RuO₂ 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.

Grants and funding

22072015 and 21927811/National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)