Tuning interfacial water supply and electron transfer enables industrial-scale alkaline hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Alkaline water electrolysis represents a pivotal technology for large-scale green hydrogen production, yet its efficiency is severely constrained by the sluggish kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at industrial current densities. Herein, we propose a synergistic dual-doping strategy to significantly lower the kinetic barriers for both the Volmer and Heyrovsky steps, thereby enabling ultrastable and high-efficiency hydrogen evolution. To validate this concept, a robust amorphous NiCoV nanosheet electrode was synthesized via a scalable one-step electrodeposition process. In situ spectroscopic and kinetic characterizations reveal that the incorporation of hydrophilic V species optimizes the interfacial water environment by disrupting the hydrogen bond network and ensuring a rapid supply of free water reactants at the inner Helmholtz plane. Simultaneously, the Co dopants modulate the electronic structure to facilitate efficient electron transfer and optimize the adsorption energetics of intermediates. Consequently, the NiCoV electrode requires an ultralow overpotential of 253 mV to drive −400 mA cm⁻², surpassing most reported Pt-based catalysts, and maintains stability for over 200 h. Industrial validation in a scaled-up electrolyzer demonstrates a cell voltage of 1.89 V at 400 mA cm⁻², achieving an energy saving of 0.12 kWh m⁻³ H₂ compared to commercial benchmarks. This translates to an annual electricity saving of 1.33 × 10⁶ kWh for a medium-scale demonstration project, highlighting the immense potential for sustainable industrial applications.