Unraveling Oxygen Evolution Reaction Enhancement Mechanisms: From Internal to External Fields of Electrolyzers

Abstract

Hydrogen energy, as a pivotal secondary energy carrier for the future, plays a core role in achieving global carbon neutrality goals through its green production. Currently, water electrolysis for hydrogen production, particularly alkaline water electrolysis, is regarded as the primary pathway for green hydrogen generation due to its technological maturity and cost-effectiveness. However, this technology still faces challenges such as low operating current density, high energy consumption, and the difficulty in balancing the activity and stability of nonprecious metal catalysts under high current densities. The design of traditional electrocatalysts has reached a bottleneck, making breakthrough progress difficult. Therefore, this review focuses on internal and external field-assisted water electrolysis strategies, systematically summarizing the latest research advances in field regulation for enhancing electrocatalytic performance. These strategies provide innovative approaches to addressing the energy efficiency and cost challenges in water electrolysis for hydrogen production, demonstrating the significant potential of field regulation in driving the development of next-generation, high-performance, and highly stable water electrolysis technologies.