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Title: Water splitting by electrolysis at high current densities under 1.6 volts

Journal Article · · Energy & Environmental Science
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ee00927a· OSTI ID:1611555

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis using electricity from intermittent waste heat, wind, or solar energies is one of the easiest and cleanest methods for high-purity hydrogen production and an effective way to store the excess electrical power. The key dilemma for efficient large-scale production of hydrogen by splitting of water via the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER, respectively) is the high overpotential required, especially for the OER. We report an exceptionally active and durable OER catalyst yielding current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2 at overpotentials of only 259 mV and 289 mV in alkaline electrolyte, respectively, fulfilling the commercial criteria of the OER process. Together with a good HER catalyst, we have achieved the commercially required current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2 at 1.586 and 1.657 V, respectively, with very good stability, dramatically lower than any previously reported voltage. This research sets the stage for large-scale hydrogen production by water splitting using excess electrical power whenever and wherever available.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Houston, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0010831
OSTI ID:
1611555
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1454364
Journal Information:
Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 11, Issue 10; ISSN 1754-5692
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 320 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Powering the Hydrogen Economy from Waste Heat: A Review of Heat‐to‐Hydrogen Concepts journal August 2019
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NiFe Oxide Nanocatalysts Grown on Carbonized Algal Cells for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction journal January 2018