Efficient Decoupled Electrolytic Water Splitting in Acid through Pseudocapacitive TiO2
Advanced Science 2024
Mairis Iesalnieks, Mārtiņš Vanags, Linda Laima Alsiņa, Raivis Eglītis, Līga Grīnberga, Peter C. Sherrell, Andris Šutka

Water electrolysis remains a key component in the societal transition to green energy. Membrane electrolyzers are the state-of-the-art technology for water electrolysis, relying on 80 °C operation in highly alkaline electrolytes, which is undesirable for many of the myriad end-use cases for electrolytic water splitting. Herein, an alternative water electrolysis process, decoupled electrolysis, is described which performed in mild acidic conditions with excellent efficiencies. Decoupled electrolysis sequentially performs the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), at the same catalyst. Here, H+ ions generated from the OER are stored through pseudocapacitive (redox) charge storage, and released to drive the HER. Here, decoupled electrolysis is demonstrated using cheap, abundant, TiO2 for the first time. To achieve decoupled acid electrolysis, ultra-small anatase TiO2 particles (4.5 nm diameter) are prepared. These ultra-small TiO2 particles supported on a carbon felt electrode show a highly electrochemical surface area with a capacitance of 375 F g−1. When these electrodes are tested for decoupled water splitting an overall energy efficiency of 52.4% is observed, with excellent stability over 3000 cycles of testing. This technology can provide a viable alternative to membrane electrolyzers—eliminating the need for highly alkaline electrolytes and elevated temperatures.


Atslēgas vārdi
electrolysis | pseudocapacitors | titanium dioxide
DOI
10.1002/advs.202401261
Hipersaite
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202401261

Iesalnieks, M., Vanags, M., Alsiņa, L., Eglītis, R., Grīnberga, L., Sherrell, P., Šutka, A. Efficient Decoupled Electrolytic Water Splitting in Acid through Pseudocapacitive TiO2. Advanced Science, 2024, Vol. 11, No. 28, Article number 2401261. ISSN 2198-3844. Pieejams: doi:10.1002/advs.202401261

Publikācijas valoda
English (en)
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