Scalable Transition-Metal Electrocatalysts with Low Noble-Metal Loading for Water Splitting and Hybrid Electrolysis

Green hydrogen from water electrolysis is central to decarbonizing industry and transport, but its cost still depends on the catalysts at both electrodes. The most active materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) rely on scarce platinum, iridium and ruthenium. Alloys, phosphides, borides and oxides of nickel, cobalt, iron, copper and molybdenum offer a lower-cost route, and trace amounts of noble metals can boost their activity at little extra cost. Replacing the slow OER with the oxidation of hydrazine, urea or borohydride can also lower the voltage needed to make hydrogen. Simple ways to grow catalysts directly on conductive supports, such as electroless and electrochemical deposition, are cheap and scalable, yet remain less explored.This Research Topic aims to bring together work on electrocatalysts that are both effective and practical: made from abundant elements, using little or no noble metal, and prepared by methods that can move from the lab to real devices. Many studies report high activity for new HER and OER catalysts, but fewer address cost, scalability and stability together. Research on water splitting and on small-molecule oxidation also tends to run in parallel, even though both use similar catalyst families and can be combined in hybrid electrolysis.By linking catalyst design, preparation methods and device-level testing, the collection seeks to identify design rules that bring low-cost materials close to noble-metal performance, compare scalable preparation routes, show how alternative anodic reactions cut the energy demand of hydrogen production, and define the main challenges for long-term operation under realistic conditions.We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:• Transition-metal alloys, phosphides, borides, sulfides and oxides for HER and OER in alkaline, neutral and seawater electrolytes• Catalysts with ultralow noble-metal loading, including single atoms and bimetallic nanoparticles on carbon, foam or metal supports• Electroless, electrochemical and other scalable deposition methods for binder-free, self-supported electrodes• Alternative anodic reactions, such as hydrazine, urea, borohydride and biomass oxidation, for energy-saving hydrogen production• Catalysts and supports derived from waste and biomass• Stability, degradation and performance at industrially relevant current densities, including electrolyzer and fuel cell tests• Mechanistic insight from in situ and operando studies and theoretical modeling Topic editors: Jadranka Milikić, Aldona Balciunaite Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86991/scalable-transition-metal-electrocatalysts-with-low-noble-metal-loading-for-water-splitting-and-hybrid-electrolysis