Design Principle and Regulation Strategy of Noble Metal-Based Materials for Practical Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer

Abstract

Green hydrogen holds immense promise in combating climate change and building a sustainable future. Owing to its high power-to-gas conversion efficiency, compact structure, and fast response, the proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) stands out as the most viable option for the widespread production of green hydrogen. However, the harsh operating conditions of PEMWE make it heavily dependent on noble metal-based catalysts (NMCs) and incur high operational and maintenance costs, which hinder its extensive adoption. Hence, it is imperative to improve the performance and lifespan of NMCs and develop advanced components to reduce the overall costs of integrating PEMWE technology into practical applications. In light of this, the fundamental design principles of NMCs employed in acidic water electrolysis are summarized, as well as recent advancements in compositional and structural engineering to enhance intrinsic activity and active site density. Moreover, recent innovations in stack components of practical PEMWE and their impact on cost-benefit and lifespan are presented. Finally, the current challenges are examined, and potential solutions for optimizing NMCs and PEMWE in electrocatalytic hydrogen production are discussed.