Water Splitting as an Alternative for Electrochemical Hydrogen and Oxygen Generation: Current Status, Trends, and Challenges

Nihat Ege Sahin, W. J. Pech-Rodríguez (), P. C. Meléndez-González, Juan Lopez Hernández and E. Rocha-Rangel
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Nihat Ege Sahin: Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Abogade 40, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
W. J. Pech-Rodríguez: Department of Mechatronics, Polytechnic University of Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Mexico
P. C. Meléndez-González: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), San Nicolás de los Garza 66455, Mexico
Juan Lopez Hernández: Department of Engineering Master Program, Polytechnic University of Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Mexico
E. Rocha-Rangel: Department of Engineering Master Program, Polytechnic University of Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Mexico

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-25

Abstract: Water splitting technology is an innovative strategy to face the dependency on fossil fuels and, at the same time, address environmental pollution issues. Electrocatalysts seem to be the better option to improve water separation efficiency and satisfy the commercial-scale demand for hydrogen. Therefore, the design and fabrication of heterostructures with a high affinity for achieving water splitting have been proposed. In this review, the application of several electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions is presented and discussed in detail. A review of the recent advances in water separation using noble metals such as Pt-, Ir-, and Ru-based electrodes is presented, followed by a highlighting of the current trends in noble-metal-free electrocatalysts and novel preparation methods. Furthermore, it contemplates some results of a hybrid organic molecule–water electrolysis and photoelectrochemical water splitting. This review intends to give insight into the main trends in water splitting and the barriers that need to be overcome to further boost the efficiency of the main hydrogen and oxygen generation systems that ultimately result in large-scale applications. Finally, future challenges and perspectives are addressed, considering all the novelties and the proposed pathways for water splitting.

Keywords: water splitting; HER; OER; electrocatalysts; green hydrogen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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