The pursuit of sustainable hydrogen production has positioned water electrolysis as a cornerstone technology for global carbon neutrality.However,sluggish kinetics,catalyst scarcity,and system integration challenges h...The pursuit of sustainable hydrogen production has positioned water electrolysis as a cornerstone technology for global carbon neutrality.However,sluggish kinetics,catalyst scarcity,and system integration challenges hinder its widespread deployment.Ultrathin two-dimensional(2D)materials,with their atomically exposed surfaces,tunable electronic structures,and defect-engineering capabilities,present unique opportunities for next-generation electrocatalysts.This review provides an integrated overview of ultrathin 2D electrocatalysts,discussing their structural diversity,synthetic routes,structure-activity relationships,and mechanistic understanding in water electrolysis processes.Special focus is placed on the translation of 2D materials from laboratory research to practical device implementation,emphasizing challenges such as scalable fabrication,interfacial engineering,and operational durability in realistic electrolyzer environments.The role of advanced characterization techniques in capturing dynamic structural changes and active site evolution is discussed.Finally,we outline future research directions,emphasizing the synergy of machine learning-driven materials discovery,advanced operando characterization,and scalable system integration to accelerate the industrial translation of 2D electrocatalysts for green hydrogen production.展开更多
Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer(PEMWE)is a pivotal technology for green hydrogen production,especially when integrated with intermittent renewable energy sources.Achieving the drastic reduction of iridium(...Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer(PEMWE)is a pivotal technology for green hydrogen production,especially when integrated with intermittent renewable energy sources.Achieving the drastic reduction of iridium(Ir)loading at the anode catalyst layer(ACL)while maintaining high catalytic activity and durability is imperative for large-scale deployment of PEMWEs.In this review,we begin by outlining the fundamental structure and working principles of ACL,emphasizing the intrinsic tradeoffs between Ir loading reduction and the resulting challenges in activity loss and stability degradation under industrial operating conditions.We then summarize recent progress in Ir-based catalyst design,which enhances intrinsic activity and Ir utilization in laboratory-scale tests.However,the discrepancies between the high activity observed in three-electrode systems and the diminished performance in PEMWEs are critically analyzed,highlighting the overlooked effects in real devices.To bridge this gap,we propose multiscale principles for developing next-generation catalysts tailored for low-Ir,high-performance ACLs.Finally,we outline future research directions to accelerate the transition from lab-scale breakthroughs to industrial deployment.This review underscores the urgent need to align fundamental catalyst design with practical engineering requirements to realize cost-effective,durable PEMWEs for a sustainable hydrogen economy.展开更多
文摘The pursuit of sustainable hydrogen production has positioned water electrolysis as a cornerstone technology for global carbon neutrality.However,sluggish kinetics,catalyst scarcity,and system integration challenges hinder its widespread deployment.Ultrathin two-dimensional(2D)materials,with their atomically exposed surfaces,tunable electronic structures,and defect-engineering capabilities,present unique opportunities for next-generation electrocatalysts.This review provides an integrated overview of ultrathin 2D electrocatalysts,discussing their structural diversity,synthetic routes,structure-activity relationships,and mechanistic understanding in water electrolysis processes.Special focus is placed on the translation of 2D materials from laboratory research to practical device implementation,emphasizing challenges such as scalable fabrication,interfacial engineering,and operational durability in realistic electrolyzer environments.The role of advanced characterization techniques in capturing dynamic structural changes and active site evolution is discussed.Finally,we outline future research directions,emphasizing the synergy of machine learning-driven materials discovery,advanced operando characterization,and scalable system integration to accelerate the industrial translation of 2D electrocatalysts for green hydrogen production.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant nos.22179046 and 22279040)the Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Plan(grant no.20240402080GH)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities for their financial support.
文摘Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer(PEMWE)is a pivotal technology for green hydrogen production,especially when integrated with intermittent renewable energy sources.Achieving the drastic reduction of iridium(Ir)loading at the anode catalyst layer(ACL)while maintaining high catalytic activity and durability is imperative for large-scale deployment of PEMWEs.In this review,we begin by outlining the fundamental structure and working principles of ACL,emphasizing the intrinsic tradeoffs between Ir loading reduction and the resulting challenges in activity loss and stability degradation under industrial operating conditions.We then summarize recent progress in Ir-based catalyst design,which enhances intrinsic activity and Ir utilization in laboratory-scale tests.However,the discrepancies between the high activity observed in three-electrode systems and the diminished performance in PEMWEs are critically analyzed,highlighting the overlooked effects in real devices.To bridge this gap,we propose multiscale principles for developing next-generation catalysts tailored for low-Ir,high-performance ACLs.Finally,we outline future research directions to accelerate the transition from lab-scale breakthroughs to industrial deployment.This review underscores the urgent need to align fundamental catalyst design with practical engineering requirements to realize cost-effective,durable PEMWEs for a sustainable hydrogen economy.
