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1.1.
04 Nov 2026, MDPI; Temperature-Controlled Molten-Salt Treatment of Co-Coated Ni Substrates to Form Porous Electrodes for Alkaline Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions,
AI-Generated Research Summary:"Investigates the fabrication of porous cobalt-coated nickel electrodes using aluminium deposition and anodic dissolution in molten salts at different temperatures. The resulting coatings exhibit temperature-dependent morphology and electrochemical performance. The 900 °C treatment produced the lowest hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential among the treated electrodes, while 825 °C achieved the highest apparent capacitance. The findings offer a potential route to improved non-precious-metal electrodes for hydrogen production, although reproducibility, durability and industrial performance remain unverified." |
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1.2. 28 Oct 2026, MDPI; One-Step Molten Salt Assistant Synthesis of Ni Nanoparticles Incorporated on Carbon Materials as Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalyst, "Herein, a series of nickel/carbon materials nanocomposites have been successfully prepared and characterized. In the synthesis of Ni@C samples, the good conductivity of carbon materials can accelerate interfacial charge transfer and thus promote electrocatalytic HER performance, while the component ratio between Ni and C can be adjusted by tuning the mass of carbon precursor. Among all Ni@C samples, the as-prepared Ni@C-0.8 exhibits excellent electrocatalytic HER performance and long-time stability in an alkaline electrolyte. The optimized Ni@C-0.8 exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic HER performance with a low overpotential of 134 mV at the current density of −10 mA cm−2 and good durability. The superior electrocatalytic HER performance of the Ni@C-0.8 sample originates from the large specific surface area and mesoporous structure of C materials. This research offers a new approach for fabricating and developing economical and efficient transitional metal-based HER electrocatalysts for potential industrial water splitting." |
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1.3. 23 Oct 2026, SSRN; Functionalized Carbon Nanostructures as Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for pH-Universal Hydrogen Evolution, "Here we investigate the effect of oxidation with nitric acid on the structural, electronic, and electrocatalytic properties of carbon nanostructures in the H2 evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline medium. Commercially available single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and graphene were functionalized using a simple gram-scale protocol based on concentrated HNO3 under ambient conditions. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that the overall graphitic structure of the materials is largely preserved after treatment, while Raman spectroscopy confirms the introduction of a limited number of defects. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal the formation of oxygen-containing surface functional groups, such as -CO, -COOH, and -OH along with nitrogen containing species -C-N and -NO2. Electrochemical measurements show that functionalized carbon nanomaterials exhibit improved HER activity compared to their pristine counterparts in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes." |
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1.4. 18 Oct 2026, Elsevier Energy Conversion and Management; Experimental estimation of gas saturation from voltage fluctuations in a PEM water electrolysis stack under static tilt and dynamic roll motion, "In this study, a five-cell PEMWE stack was mounted on a 6-DoF motion platform and systematically evaluated under controlled static tilt and dynamic roll motion. The novelty of this work lies in the stack-level experimental evaluation of motion-induced voltage response and its interpretation through quantitative voltage component decomposition and inferred gas saturation variation. The thermodynamic, ohmic, and concentration contributions were evaluated separately, and the remaining activation-related residual was used to infer variation in pore gas saturation at the interface between the catalyst layer and the microporous layer. Particular attention is given to voltage deviation and fluctuation defined relative to the appropriate mean voltage reference for each experiment: the 0° reference condition for static tilt and the case mean for dynamic roll motion." |
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1.5. 13 Oct 2026, ACS Omega; Elucidating the Action Mechanism of the Carbon Substrate in Pt/C-Catalyzed Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction, "In the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), loading Pt on a carbon substrate can markedly enhance its activity. Electrochemical tests show that the Tafel slopes of Pt/C and Pt mesh are 73 and 171 mV dec–1, respectively, which indicate the HER mechanisms on Pt/C and Pt are different. In alkaline media, the HER on Pt is limited by H2O dissociation. Herein the effect of the carbon substrate on the H2O dissociation process on a Pt cluster was systematically studied by density functional theory calculations. The results indicate that the electron redistribution of the Pt cluster caused by the carbon substrate can enhance the Lewis acidity of the active site, thereby accelerating H2O dissociation step on the Pt cluster. Therefore, promoting the H2O dissociation step on Pt by the carbon substrate is one of the prime reasons for the eminent activity of Pt/C in the alkaline HER." |
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1.6. 12 Oct 2026, Nature Communications Chemistry; Engineering an AgZnInS@ZnS/g-C₃N₄ hybrid heterostructure for enhanced green hydrogen production, "Herein, we engineered a hybrid heterostructure AZIS@ZnS/g-C₃N₄ (CS QD/gCN) as an effective HER catalyst. CS QDs/g-C₃N₄ integration enabled superior charge transfer with lower resistance and higher photocurrent than AZIS QDs (C QDs), CS QDs, and C QD/gCN systems. The CS QD/g-C₃N₄ hybrid under visible light achieved extraordinary HER with 54 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm⁻² and 57 mV dec⁻¹ Tafel slope, closely matching Pt/C under dark conditions (45 mV, 53 mV dec⁻¹). The experimental performance is supported by Computational Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, which show that the CS QD/g-C₃N₄ hybrid has type-II band alignment that enhances the charge separation and extends the visible-light absorption. Furthermore, the computed Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH* = −0.36 eV) gets closer to the thermodynamic optimum; it confirms that the HER has lower kinetic barriers." |
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1.7. 10 Oct 2026, Nature Communications Chemistry; A targeted ionic iron/platinum-based precatalyst for bias-dependent reconstruction in alkaline water splitting, "We report an ionic iron/platinum-based precatalyst reservoir for alkaline water splitting, prepared by combining anionic iron(III) phthalocyanine-4,4′,4″,4‴-tetrasulfonate (FeTSPc³⁻) with cationic [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ (TP²⁺) species. The resulting FeTSPc/TP ionic solid has limited solubility in alkaline electrolyte and supplies Fe- and Pt-derived species under electrochemical bias. Rather than acting as a persistent molecular bifunctional catalyst, FeTSPc/TP undergoes bias-dependent reconstruction on nickel-foam electrodes. Under anodic conditions, Fe-derived species are associated with the nickel surface, producing a Ni–Fe (oxy)hydroxide-type OER-active layer. Under cathodic conditions, Pt-derived species generate Pt-containing deposits that promote the HER. Compared with bare Ni foam, the FeTSPc/TP system decreases the OER overpotential by approximately 200 mV and the HER overpotential by approximately 80 mV under the tested conditions. The analyses support the formation of distinct catalyst-derived surface deposits at the two electrodes." |
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1.8. 10 Oct 2026, ACS Applied Engineering Materials; Binder-Free Mo in C and W in C Nanofoam Composites for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction, "Herein, we present a binder-free fabrication route for Mo in C and W in C nanofoam composite electrodes based on simultaneous pulsed laser ablation of graphite and transition-metal targets, followed by thermal annealing for in situ carburization. This single-step deposition approach produces hierarchical carbon nanofoams with embedded metallic nanoparticles that evolve into catalytically active carbide phases without binders or chemical precursors. Structural characterization reveals that the carbon solubility of the transition metal influences the final architecture and HER activity. In Mo in C, higher carbon solubility accelerates carburization and particle coalescence, resulting in partial collapse of the carbon framework but improved interfacial electronic coupling." |
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1.9. 09 Oct 2026, ACS Langmuir; Self-Catalyzed Hastelloy Fiber Paper (HAP) Porous Transport Layer for OER in Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis, "In this study, HAP is demonstrated to exhibit intrinsic OER activity without the intentional deposition of an additional catalyst layer. This intrinsic catalytic behavior enables HAP to simultaneously serve as both the porous transport layer and the OER-active electrode, which is herein referred to as a “self-catalyzed” PTL. Unlike conventional PTLs that primarily provide mass transport and electrical conduction, the HAP investigated in this work contributes directly to the OER reaction. The catalytic behavior originates from the alloy surface itself, which contains catalytically relevant transition-metal species including Ni, Mo, and Cr. Under alkaline anodic conditions, the surface may undergo oxidation and reconstruction, generating electrochemically active surface species. Although the individual contributions of Ni, Mo, and Cr cannot be completely separated based on the present experiments, their combined surface chemistry is considered responsible for the intrinsic OER activity of HAP." |
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1.10. 07 Oct 2026, MDPI; In Situ Constructed Self-Supported MoS2/TiO2 Nanotube Electrodes for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution, "Herein, vertically aligned TiO2 nanotube arrays were directly grown on Ti substrates via electrochemical anodization and subsequently employed as a scaffold for the in situ hydrothermal growth of MoS2 nanosheets. Among the investigated electrodes, MoS2/TNT-2 exhibits the best electrochemical HER performance, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 353 mV in 1 M KOH. Moreover, the electrode maintains good electrochemical stability during a 24 h chronoamperometric test and after 2000 cyclic voltammetry sweeps. This work provides a facile route for constructing self-supported MoS2/TiO2 heterostructured electrodes for alkaline HER." |
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1.11. 06 Oct 2026, Elsevier International Journal of Hydrogen Energy; Overview of alkaline water electrolysis processes and recommendations for the implementation of a laboratory-scale AWE test rig, "This paper provides a practical guide to the design, construction, and operation of a zero-gap AWE cell and its associated test rig. Fundamental principles governing AWE performance including thermodynamics, overpotentials, and bubble-related transport phenomena, are outlined to connect electrochemical theory with practical implementation. Detailed descriptions of key cell components are provided alongside discussions of electrode kinetics and degradation mechanisms, with an emphasis on industrial-standard nickel-based catalysts. Beyond cell architecture, this review consolidates critical considerations for testing infrastructure: electrolyte circulation strategies, gas–liquid separation, gas handling, safety systems, and the integration of sensors enabling reproducible, industrially relevant operation. Special attention is placed on aspects such as dissolved gas transport, bubble management, gas crossover, and contamination from stainless steel components which can strongly influence both performance and safety." |
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1.12. 01 Oct 2026, Springer Nature; A review on the degradation of hydrogen evolution electrodes under fluctuating renewable electricity, "This review summarizes the characteristic fluctuation patterns of renewable energy and their impacts on the operational stability of electrolytic systems. It further provides a systematic discussion of electrode degradation behaviors and dominant mechanisms under various operating conditions, including over-power, low-power, no-power, start–stop cycling, and dynamic fluctuation scenarios. Finally, key future research priorities are highlighted, emphasizing the development of multiscale degradation models, dynamic evaluation and lifetime prediction frameworks, and highly stable, adaptive electrode materials. These advances will provide critical theoretical and technological foundations for efficient, durable water electrolysis systems powered by renewable energy." |
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1.13. 30 Sep 2026, Frontiers; Decoupling bulk composition and alloying effects in Ni-Mo materials for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution at near-neutral pH, "Here, we examined commercial Ni-Mo powders with different nominal Ni:Mo ratios to assess how composition and mass loading influence HER performance. Despite differences in bulk Ni:Mo ratios, no significant variation in HER performance was observed at equal mass loadings. In contrast, increasing the electrocatalyst mass loading from 0.35 ± 0.04 to 1.30 ± 0.07 mg cm−2 consistently improved HER performance, decreasing the overpotential at −1 mA cm−2 from 463 ± 50 to 210 ± 9 mV, with an intermediate value of 367 ± 33 mV at a loading of 0.61 ± 0.02 mg cm−2. Comprehensive characterization by XRD, SEM, EDX, and XPS shows that the Ni-Mo powders are not true Ni-Mo alloys but rather physically mixed phases with notable Ni- and Mo-rich segregation. These results demonstrate that the bulk Ni:Mo ratio does not accurately reflect the catalytic structure and hence cannot be used alone to assess structure-function relationships for HER performance." |
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1.14. 29 Sep 2026, Elsevier Electrochimica Acta; Adsorption-Controlled Formic Acid Oxidation Enables Low-Voltage Hydrogen Production in Acidic Water Electrolyzers, "We demonstrate that complete oxidation of organics – rather than partial upgrading – can serve as an energetically and mechanistically attractive anodic reaction when coupled to H2 production. An electrocatalytic system is developed to oxidize formic acid – a representative species in acidic wastewater that is typically processed without any energy reclamation – and lower the energy required to produce H2, achieving 80–85% selectivity toward CO₂ and H₂ and operating at voltages 36.5% lower than pure water electrolysis. We found that the Langmuirian adsorption of formic acid and resulting coverage of surface-bound formate directly control reaction selectivity. Formate-rich electrolytes at pH 4 and current densities around 10 mA/cm2 in cation exchange membrane electrolyzers establish a reaction microenvironment that mechanistically favors simultaneous CO2 and H2 formation." |
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1.15. 28 Sep 2026, ACS Omega; Superhydrophobic Porous Coordination Polymer-Confined Co3O4 Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Strategy for Electrochemical Water Splitting, "We report three robust, cost-effective, and efficient post-synthetic nanoparticle-embedded metal–organic framework-based electrocatalysts, Co3O4@Zn2M2(μ2–OH)2(BTMB)2 (M = Zn (1), Co (2), and Ni (3)), for overall water splitting. The pristine frameworks, Zn2M2(μ2–OH)2(BTMB)2, were transformed from relatively low-conducting materials into conductive analogues through post-synthetic encapsulation of approximately 2.5–3.1 wt % Co3O4 nanoparticles via a sonochemical approach. Successful nanoparticle incorporation and preservation of framework integrity were confirmed by PXRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, EDX, ICP-OES, and TGA analyses. Notably, the Co3O4@MOF composites exhibited enhanced superhydrophobicity, displaying water contact angles of 162.41° (1), 166.42° (2), and 164.47° (3), compared to those of the corresponding pristine MOFs (155.5°, 159.3°, and 160.8°, respectively), which is one of the key steps for enhancing the electrochemical activity of this type of composite." |
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1.16. 24 Sep 2026, Elsevier International Journal of Hydrogen Energy; High-efficiency hydrogen dehumidification in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) by twin-membrane dryer system, "This study proposes a compressor-free, zero-purge twin-membrane dryer system integrated with a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer. The system recycles generated dry oxygen as a sweep gas for both hollow-fiber dryers, maintaining a theoretical 100% hydrogen recovery rate (zero purge loss, with only negligible membrane permeation). The product hydrogen achieved an excellent baseline dew point of −51.0°C. Oxygen concentration evaluations in hydrogen gas confirmed that oxygen contamination originates from electrolyzer crossover rather than dryer diffusion. Furthermore, post-stage molecular sieve integration is predicted to maintain a low dew point below −70°C for three years without replacement of the molecular sieve, which minimizes energy and hydrogen losses." |
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1.17. 23 Sep 2026, MDPI; One-Step Production of PEM Membranes with a Recombination Interlayer Using a Three-Layer Slot Die, "Using membranes with recombination catalyst layers in PEM water electrolyzers effectively reduces the formation of explosive gas mixtures. Slot die coating is an established method for producing such functional layer systems. This work demonstrates the fabrication of a recombination catalyst-containing membrane in a single step using a three-layer slot die. The membrane is made of an insulating ionomer layer on the top and bottom layer and an intermediate layer containing a recombination catalyst. Cell experiments confirm that the membrane effectively reduces hazardous H2 concentrations in the anode circuit of the PEM electrolysis cell. We aim to simplify the scalable production of thin, functional membranes for high-performance electrolysis using simultaneous multi-layer coating." |
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1.18. 22 Sep 2026, Frontiers; Phenolic hydroxyl-functionalized covalent organic frameworks for efficient hydrogen evolution in alkaline media, "Here, we report TFPheMePh, a nitrogen-containing, hydroxyl-functionalized covalent organic framework synthesized via polycondensation, yielding a crystalline, porous material with a high BET surface area of 1309 m2 g-1. To maximise catalyst utilisation and facilitate efficient electron transport, the synthesized COF was drop-casted onto a three-dimensional dynamic hydrogen bubble template copper foam. Its interconnected porous architecture provides a highly conductive scaffold, enhanced electrolyte accessibility, and abundant exposed active sites, thereby facilitating water activation and HER. The resulting COF/DHBT-Cuf electrode delivers efficient HER activity in 1 M KOH, achieving an overpotential of 285 mV at 10 mA cm-2 with a Tafel slope of 263 mV dec−1." |
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1.19. 19 Sep 2026, Nature Communications Materials; Non-N-substituted crosslinked polybenzimidazole membranes for durable alkaline electrolysis, "We report a non-N-substituted PBI-crosslinked membrane prepared using benzoxazine as a crosslinker. An electrolyzer cell employing the membrane with 20 wt.% crosslinker exhibited enhanced cell performance in 10 wt.% KOH solution at 60 °C compared to that shown by the pristine m-PBI-based cell, while maintaining the hydrogen crossover below 1% across the current density range of 0.3–1.2 A cm−2. Furthermore, the cell employing the crosslinked m-PBI membrane exhibited stable operation for over 1900 h, with hydrogen crossover remaining below 4% throughout the test. Notably, the increase rate of hydrogen crossover in the crosslinked membrane-based cell decreased nearly fourfold compared to that of the pristine m-PBI-based cell, demonstrating the effectiveness of crosslinking in enhancing cell durability." |
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1.20. 18 Sep 2026, Nature NPJ Computational Materials; Quantum-inspired inverse design of heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction, "We introduce a quantum-inspired generative framework for discovering catalytic materials for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). Inspired by variational quantum circuits (VQCs), which outperform classical models in certain tasks, we hypothesized that the norm-conserving property of VQCs plays a key role in materials representation and optimization. Thus, we incorporated orthogonal transformations into the classical generative model to maintain latent space structure and enhance materials discovery. With additional data through transfer learning, the classical model with orthogonal transformations becomes useful. Our results provide practical guidelines for applying quantum machine learning to materials discovery and suggest the potential of quantum-inspired generative models to explore previously inaccessible chemical spaces." |













































































































































































































































































































































