Engineering a Breakthrough in Water Electrolysis: Heilongjiang University Researchers Create Efficient Catalyst

Strategic Insights -

Heilongjiang University researchers in China have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of water electrolysis, a crucial technology for green hydrogen production. By developing a porous Co/Co6Mo6C2 heterostructure, the team has created an efficient catalyst that enhances water electrolysis. This innovation involves rational modulating spatial electron density through interfacial charge engineering, presenting a promising approach to improve water electrolysis. The research, financially supported by the Basic Research Fund of Heilongjiang University, has been peer-reviewed and published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Key Takeaways:

  • The porous Co/Co6Mo6C2 heterostructure features an ordered built-in electric field directed from internal Co core to external Co6Mo6C2 shell, engineered by the work function difference.
  • The high-valent Mo promotes Co conversion to CoOOH, accelerating oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and enabling a low overpotential of 170 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 in 1 m KOH.
  • The optimized HER catalyst (Co/Co6Mo6C2-H) achieves an overpotential of 39 mV at 10 mA cm^-2.
  • Theoretical calculations combined with experiments corroborate that the ordered BIEF optimizes the adsorption of OER and HER intermediates through electronic redistribution and d-band center regulation.
  • The corresponding anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) device demonstrates a voltage of 1.77 V at 500 mA cm^-2 with 500 h durability in 1 m KOH.

Statistics:

  • The optimized HER catalyst achieves an overpotential of 39 mV at 10 mA cm^-2.
  • The AEMWE device demonstrates a voltage of 1.77 V at 500 mA cm^-2.
  • The device maintains 500 h durability in 1 m KOH.
  • The research involved a team of authors including Aiping Wu, Siyu Wang, Laiyu Luo, Yuying Fan, Li Sun, Dongxu Wang, Chungui Tian, and Yu Fu.

Sources:

  • Spatial Electron Density Modulation By Engineering Ordered Built-in Electric Fields for Efficient and Stable Water Splitting. Advanced Functional Materials, 2025.
  • Aiping Wu et al. "Spatial Electron Density Modulation By Engineering Ordered Built-in Electric Fields for Efficient and Stable Water Splitting" in Advanced Functional Materials (2025).