article · Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Generating sustainable hydrogen through water electrolysis requires efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts. A hierarchical chromium-doped cobalt-iron layered double hydroxide composite was developed using a tailored etching and doping technique to improve catalytic performance. The structure combines mesoporous cobalt-iron layered double hydroxide sheets with oxalate anions and chromium dopants. This engineering optimizes mass transport, reinforces electronic interactions at the catalytic active sites, and stabilises crucial reaction species. In situ spectroscopic investigations tracked the evolution of active species, providing direct evidence of the underlying reaction mechanisms. The resulting composite catalyst demonstrated high oxygen evolution reaction activity alongside enhanced intrinsic performance and long-term operating stability, offering a refined method for designing active catalysts for water electrolysis.
Producing green hydrogen via water splitting depends heavily on improving the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction, which is typically slow and energy-intensive. Creating stable, high-performance catalysts from accessible materials helps reduce the operational and material costs of clean hydrogen production, supporting broader transitions to sustainable energy systems.
The material could enable more durable and efficient anode components for water electrolysis systems, relevant to hydrogen energy technology developers and electrolyser manufacturers. Because the findings are based on laboratory synthesis and in situ spectroscopic characterisation, the technology remains at an early research stage, requiring further device-level testing and scale-up before commercial adoption.
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The development of cost-effective and efficient electrocatalysts for water electrolysis is crucial for sustainable hydrogen production. In this study, we designed a hierarchical Cr-CoFe-LDH composite using a tailored etching and doping strategy to enhance catalytic performance. By integrating mesoporous CoFe-LDH layers with C<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> anions and Cr dopants, we engineered a structure that optimizes mass transport, strengthens electronic interactions at active sites, and stabilizes key catalytic species. In situ spectroscopic analysis provided direct evidence of active species evolution, offering insights into the underlying reaction mechanisms. As a result, the Cr-CoFe-LDH catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, demonstrating enhanced intrinsic performance and long-term stability. This work presents a novel approach to designing high-performance LDH-based catalysts and advances the understanding of active site modulation for efficient water electrolysis.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.137449
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