Researchers have developed a non-precious electrocatalyst for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis that operated continuously for more than 3,400 hours at industrial current densities, according to a study published in Nature Communications. The catalyst brought estimated hydrogen production costs down to $2.28 per kilogram, surpassing the European Commission's 2030 cost target.
A research team from Taiyuan University of Technology, Tianjin University, and the Shanxi Research Institute of HuaiRou Laboratory designed the material to overcome the activity-stability trade-off typical of nickel-iron (oxy)hydroxide anodes. The catalyst, designated NiFe(Se)OH-BO, combines selenium doping with surface modification using [B(OH)4]⁻ ions.
Selenium doping optimizes the oxygen 2p band center and increases the participation of lattice oxygen. At the same time, the surface [B(OH)4]⁻ species establish an interfacial hydrogen-bond network that facilitates proton transfer and stabilizes intermediate reaction stages.
The combined design activates a hydrogen bond-mediated oxidation mechanism. In this process, faster hydroxide ion diffusion replenishes lattice oxygen dynamically, preventing oxygen vacancies from accumulating during water oxidation.
During testing, the NiFe(Se)OH-BO catalyst reached an overpotential of 177 millivolts at 10 milliamperes per square centimeter. When used as the anode in an anion exchange membrane water electrolysis setup, the material ran stably for over 3,400 hours at a current density of 1 ampere per square centimeter at 70 degrees Celsius.
The National Natural Science Foundation of China supported the project under grant numbers 22578302 and U22A20418. The researchers acknowledged Dr. Leije Zhang of Specreation Instruments Co., Ltd. for assistance with X-ray absorption fine structure characterization and related analysis.
