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Ultrastable electrocatalytic seawater splitting at ampere-level current density

Nature Sustainability volume 7, pages 158–167 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Hydrogen has long been seen as a key energy vector for a carbon-neutral and sustainable future. A promising pathway to mass production of hydrogen is electrolysis of seawater—an unlimited water source—using renewable energy. However, because of the complex ion environment, direct electrolytic splitting of seawater faces major challenges, notably chlorine evolution, corrosion of electrodes and other side reactions. Here we report an earth-abundant layered double hydroxide electrocatalyst that sustains stable electrolysis of seawater over 2,800 h under an ultra-high current density of ∼1.25 A cm−2. Introduction of carbonate ions into its interlayers and surface anchoring of graphene quantum dots block unfavourable adsorption of chloride ions and contribute to increased resistance of the electrocatalyst to chloride ion corrosion. A photovoltaic-electrolysis device with the electrocatalyst as both an oxygen and a hydrogen evolution catalyst delivers a record solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 18.1% for overall seawater splitting, along with good stability over 200 h under a high working current over 440 mA. Our work is a substantial step forwards in producing green hydrogen and achieving a sustainable energy future.

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Fig. 1: Structural analyses of CoFe-Ci.
Fig. 2: Electrocatalytic performance characterizations.
Fig. 3: Analyses of the reaction mechanism.
Fig. 4: Solar cell and electrolyzer performance.
Fig. 5: Mechanism of CoFe-Ci@GQD resistance to Cl− corrosion.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplementary Information and from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (number 22025202, Z.S.L.), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (number BK20202003, Z.G.Z.), National Key Research and Development Program of China (number 2021YFA1502100, J.Y.F.) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (number 51972165, Z.S.L.) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

    Rongli Fan, Changhao Liu, Zhonghua Li, Huiting Huang, Jianyong Feng, Zhaosheng Li & Zhigang Zou

  2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

    Rongli Fan, Changhao Liu, Zhonghua Li, Huiting Huang, Jianyong Feng, Zhaosheng Li & Zhigang Zou

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  1. Rongli Fan
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Contributions

Z.S.L. conceived the idea and directed the project. R.L.F. carried out the synthesis and characterization of the samples and the water-splitting experiments. C.H.L. performed Raman characterization. H.T.H. and R.L.F. tested the solar cell. R.L.F., Z.H.L., J.Y.F. and Z.S.L. analysed the data. R.L.F., J.Y.F. and Z.S.L. wrote the paper. Z.G.Z. provided advice.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jianyong Feng or Zhaosheng Li.

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Nature Sustainability thanks Pau Farras, Xiaoming Sun, Xiaoxin Zou and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Material characterizations, electrochemical characterizations, Supplementary Figs. 1–22 and Tables 1–4.

Reporting Summary

Supplementary Video 1

The liquid shown in Supplementary Video 1 is deionized water.

Supplementary Video 2

The liquid shown in Supplementary Video 2 is alkaline seawater.

Source data

Source Data Fig. 1

Statistical source data for Fig. 1.

Source Data Fig. 2

Statistical source data for Fig. 2.

Source Data Fig. 3

Statistical source data for Fig. 3.

Source Data Fig. 4

Statistical source data for Fig. 4.

Source Data Fig. 5

Statistical source data for Fig. 5.

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Fan, R., Liu, C., Li, Z. et al. Ultrastable electrocatalytic seawater splitting at ampere-level current density. Nat Sustain 7, 158–167 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01263-w

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