Flexible tungsten disulfide superstructure engineering for efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution in anion exchange membrane water electrolysers

Lingbin Xie, Longlu Wang (), Xia Liu, Jianmei Chen, Xixing Wen, Weiwei Zhao, Shujuan Liu () and Qiang Zhao ()
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Lingbin Xie: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Longlu Wang: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Xia Liu: Qingdao University
Jianmei Chen: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Xixing Wen: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Weiwei Zhao: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Shujuan Liu: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Qiang Zhao: Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis employing non-precious metal electrocatalysts is a promising strategy for achieving sustainable hydrogen production. However, it still suffers from many challenges, including sluggish alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics, insufficient activity and limited lifetime of non-precious metal electrocatalysts for ampere-level-current-density alkaline HER. Here, we report an efficient alkaline HER strategy at industrial-level current density wherein a flexible WS2 superstructure is designed to serve as the cathode catalyst for AEM water electrolysis. The superstructure features bond-free van der Waals interaction among the low Young’s modulus nanosheets to ensure excellent mechanical flexibility, as well as a stepped edge defect structure of nanosheets to realize high catalytic activity and a favorable reaction interface micro-environment. The unique flexible WS2 superstructure can effectively withstand the impact of high-density gas-liquid exchanges and facilitate mass transfer, endowing excellent long-term durability under industrial-scale current density. An AEM electrolyser containing this catalyst at the cathode exhibits a cell voltage of 1.70 V to deliver a constant catalytic current density of 1 A cm−2 over 1000 h with a negligible decay rate of 9.67 μV h−1.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50117-2

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