Ultrafast Synthesis of IrB1.15 Nanocrystals for Efficient Chlorine and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions in Saline Water

The production of storable hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources such as solar, marine, geothermal, and wind energy presents a promising pathway toward achieving energy sustainability. Nevertheless, state-of-the-art electrolysis requires support from ancillary processes which often incur financial and energy costs. Developing electrolysers capable of directly operating with water that contains impurities can circumvent these processes. Herein, we demonstrate the efficient and durable electrolysis of saline water to produce chlorine gas (Cl₂) and hydrogen using structurally ordered IrB_1.15, synthesized through ultrafast joule heating. IrB_1.15 exhibits remarkable performance, achieving overpotentials of 75 mV for the chlorine evolution reaction (CER) and 12 mV for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) at current densities of 10 mA cm⁻². Moreover, IrB_1.15 displays a durability of over 90 h towards both CER and HER. Density functional theory reveals that IrB_1.15 has adsorption energies significantly closer to 0 eV for Cl and H, compared to IrO₂ and Pt/C. Furthermore, in situ Raman investigations reveal that Ir in IrB_1.15 serves as the active center for CER, while the introduction of B atoms to Ir lattices mitigates the formation of absorbed hydrogen species on the Ir surface, thereby enhancing the performance of IrB_1.15 in HER.