Dual Anti‐Corrosion Mechanisms Enabled by Lewis Acid and PO43− Modification for Alkaline Seawater Electrolysis With Ni/Cr 2 O 3 Anchored on P‐RuO 2 Fibrous Aerogel

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Authors: Jiaxin Lu, Jiahan Guan, Ke Yuan, Liu Leo Liu, Ruiyang Zhang, Jinxiu Zhu, Pengfei An, Xiaodong Wu, Sheng Cui, Xiaodong Shen
Cited by: 1
References: 37

Abstract

ABSTRACT Anion exchange membrane seawater electrolysis (AEMSE) is crucial for future large‐scale green hydrogen production, however enduring a challenge that lacks high‐durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. We report a porous aerogel composed of Ni/Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles anchored on P‐RuO 2 nanofibers (Ni/Cr 2 O 3 @P‐RuO 2 ). The Cr 2 O 3 @P‐RuO 2 aerogel exhibits low overpotentials of 220/27 mV@mA cm −2 for OER and HER in alkaline seawater, and maintains stable operation for 500 h@0.1 A cm −2 when assembled in an AEMSE. X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) analysis combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations collectively reveal that a multi‐metallic synergistic effect induces electron transfer from Ni/Cr 2 O 3 to Ru. Additionally, Ru exhibits unsaturated coordination defects as catalytic active sites, thereby enhancing catalytic activity. In situ Raman spectroscopy and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF‐SIMS) confirm the formation of on the catalyst surface, thereby enhancing corrosion resistance through electrostatic repulsion. In addition, highly dispersed Cr 2 O 3 particles prevent RuO 2 overoxidation and deactivation during the OER. Meanwhile, they serve as Lewis acid sites and synergistically collaborate with to form a surface micro‐environment with high selectivity toward OH − . Molecular dynamics simulations validate the establishment of this dual anti‐corrosion mechanism, achieving a breakthrough in addressing catalyst durability limitations during seawater electrolysis.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems Advanced battery technologies research

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Functional Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
36
Issue
44
Publication date
7 April 2026
Language
EN