Project Description

This project proposes a groundbreaking approach to electrocatalytic water splitting, aiming to produce hydrogen more efficiently by substituting the high-energy oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with alternative oxidation reactions at lower potentials. Termed hybrid water electrolysis, this method avoids the explosive H₂-O₂ mixture, enhancing safety. Bifunctional electrocatalysts, combining hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution components, will be synthesized by hybridizing Earth-abundant transition metals-based chalcogenides, carbides, and nitrides with graphene. The strategy involves direct growth on supports like Ni foam, minimizing costs associated with separate catalyst preparation. Electrolyte engineering, utilizing neutral pH media with high-concentration buffer electrolytes, enhances proton supply. The final goal is to construct a low-energy, two-electrode water electrolyzer, producing hydrogen at the cathode and value-added products like organic acids and oxidizers at the anode. This project contributes to sustainable water electrolysis, emphasizing energy efficiency, safety, and the synthesis of valuable chemical products.