Design of precursors and pH factors for enhancing the performance of nickel-based catalysts for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis

• Published in: Electrochemistry communications 2025-01, Vol.170, p.107851, Article 107851
• Main Authors: Park, Eon-ju, Kim, Chiho, Lee, Jooyoung, Myeong, Shin-Woo, Lee, Hoseok, Heo, Sungjun, Jin, Song, Park, Minjeong, Li, Oi Lun, Choi, Sung Mook
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis; Co-precipitation; Green hydrogen; Ni-based electrocatalyst; Oxygen evolution reaction; Precursors
• ISSN: 1388-2481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2024.107851

[Display omitted] •Optimized precursor selection and pH for maximum yield and performance of Ni(OH)2.•Examined the impact of key synthesis factors on NiO properties.•N-NCO-based single-cell reached 1.38 A/cm2 at 1.8 Vcell with 23 mV/kh degradation for 300 h. In response to the escalating global energy crisis and climate change, green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean energy solution. This study presents an innovative approach to enhance the performance of nickel-based catalysts for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) through careful selection of precursor materials and pH optimization in the co-precipitation process. By optimizing precursor types and pH conditions during co-precipitation synthesis, we achieved high yields of Ni(OH)2, which were then thermally treated to form NiO. Notably, the nitrate-based NiO (N-NiO) exhibited superior catalytic activity and durability, attributed to its favorable microstructure and charge transfer capabilities. In addition, to verify universality of the N-NiO study and to assess the water electrolysis performance, we synthesized a binary compound, nickel–cobalt oxide (NCO), by incorporating Co, and evaluated its electrochemical performance in an AEMWE single-cell system. The nitrate-based NCO-based single-cell achieved a high current density of 1.38 A/cm2 at 1.8 Vcell in 1 M KOH at 50 °C, with a low degradation rate of 23 mV/kh at 1 A/cm2 for 300 h. These findings provide valuable insights into the optimization of catalyst properties for hydrogen production and highlight significant commercial potential for hydrogen production and other electrochemical applications.