TY - JOUR

T1 - Surface self-assembled multi-level NiFe-LDHs integrated super-hydrophilic diaphragms enabling efficient alkaline water electrolysis for high current density and durability

AU - Luo, Xi

AU - Yang, Xiaohui

AU - Zhou, Yongnan

AU - Xu, Nengneng

AU - Yang, Nianjun

AU - Zhang, Quan

AU - Liu, Yuyu

AU - Kolokolov, Daniil I.

AU - Qiao, Jinli

N1 - This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFE0138900), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21972017) and the “Scientific and Technical Innovation Action Plan” Basic Research Field of Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (19JC1410500).

PY - 2025/4/15

Y1 - 2025/4/15

N2 - Alkaline water electrolysis is one of the most potential techniques for green hydrogen production, offering high energy conversion and storage. High current density and durability of diaphragms are crucial for electrochemical performance. Here, we have developed a high-performance composite diaphragm based on in-situ self-assembly of nickel–iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) loaded on Zirfon-type substrate, and at the same time, catalytic NiFe-LDHs integrated the anode side for high-performance alkaline water electrolysis. By modulating the microstructure, a unique surficial feature with high surface free energy and super-hydrophilicity to address the issue of high ohmic resistance is established and achieves rapid OH−conduction and high catalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Consequently, the prepared ZLDH-χ series diaphragm affords excellent application properties, with a ZLDH-10 diaphragm with an ultra-short wetting time of 0.23 s and a reduction of 120 mV over-voltage in a single electrolytic cell. Electrolyzer with ZLDH-10 diaphragm provides exceptional current density of 1400 mA cm−2 at 2.0 V in 80°C 30 wt% KOH. Importantly, a large-scale ZLDH-10 diaphragm with 37 × 37 cm2 can be readily made and reaches unprecedented durability at 1000 mA cm−2@1.8 V over 240 h. Both the simple in-situ self-assembly approach and excellent performance of the ZLDH-χ series diaphragm pave a new way for manufacturing diaphragms in advanced alkaline water electrolysis. A partial polarization method was first invented to figure out the contribution ratio for cell voltage reduction between NiFe-LDHs catalytic effect and hydrophilic improving effect.

AB - Alkaline water electrolysis is one of the most potential techniques for green hydrogen production, offering high energy conversion and storage. High current density and durability of diaphragms are crucial for electrochemical performance. Here, we have developed a high-performance composite diaphragm based on in-situ self-assembly of nickel–iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) loaded on Zirfon-type substrate, and at the same time, catalytic NiFe-LDHs integrated the anode side for high-performance alkaline water electrolysis. By modulating the microstructure, a unique surficial feature with high surface free energy and super-hydrophilicity to address the issue of high ohmic resistance is established and achieves rapid OH−conduction and high catalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Consequently, the prepared ZLDH-χ series diaphragm affords excellent application properties, with a ZLDH-10 diaphragm with an ultra-short wetting time of 0.23 s and a reduction of 120 mV over-voltage in a single electrolytic cell. Electrolyzer with ZLDH-10 diaphragm provides exceptional current density of 1400 mA cm−2 at 2.0 V in 80°C 30 wt% KOH. Importantly, a large-scale ZLDH-10 diaphragm with 37 × 37 cm2 can be readily made and reaches unprecedented durability at 1000 mA cm−2@1.8 V over 240 h. Both the simple in-situ self-assembly approach and excellent performance of the ZLDH-χ series diaphragm pave a new way for manufacturing diaphragms in advanced alkaline water electrolysis. A partial polarization method was first invented to figure out the contribution ratio for cell voltage reduction between NiFe-LDHs catalytic effect and hydrophilic improving effect.

KW - Alkaline water electrolysis

KW - Durability

KW - High current density

KW - Hydrophilic modulation

KW - NiFe-LDHs

KW - Porous diaphragm

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/09674294-0263-3303-9eb8-50f73c8bf256/

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105000324339&origin=inward&txGid=9770b470d8944bd08c4064681f729616

U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.161697

DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.161697

M3 - Article

VL - 510

JO - Chemical Engineering Journal

JF - Chemical Engineering Journal

SN - 1385-8947

M1 - 161697

ER -