Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level

Abstract In the past few decades, tremendous attention has been devoted to enhancing the activity of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for hydrogen production, while the cost and long-term stability of catalysts, which can play an even more important role in industrialization, have been much...

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Main Authors: Xiang Lyu, David A. Cullen, Max Pupucevski, Runming Tao, Harry M. Meyer, Jun Yang, Jianlin Li, Todd J. Toops, Tamara J. Keever, Hnin Khaing, Emily Tong, Judith Lattimer, Tomas Grejtak, J. David Arregui-Mena, Alexey Serov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01549-4
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author Xiang Lyu
David A. Cullen
Max Pupucevski
Runming Tao
Harry M. Meyer
Jun Yang
Jianlin Li
Todd J. Toops
Tamara J. Keever
Hnin Khaing
Emily Tong
Judith Lattimer
Tomas Grejtak
J. David Arregui-Mena
Alexey Serov
author_facet Xiang Lyu
David A. Cullen
Max Pupucevski
Runming Tao
Harry M. Meyer
Jun Yang
Jianlin Li
Todd J. Toops
Tamara J. Keever
Hnin Khaing
Emily Tong
Judith Lattimer
Tomas Grejtak
J. David Arregui-Mena
Alexey Serov
author_sort Xiang Lyu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the past few decades, tremendous attention has been devoted to enhancing the activity of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for hydrogen production, while the cost and long-term stability of catalysts, which can play an even more important role in industrialization, have been much less emphasized. Herein, we engineered an OER electrode from abundant stainless steel (SS) via facile approaches, and the obtained electrode consists of a Ni-rich oxide surface layer with a Fe-rich metal substrate. An outstanding activity was observed with an overpotential of 316 mV at 100 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Additionally, an electrode self-replenishing concept is proposed in which a Ni-rich catalyst layer can be regenerated from a metallic substrate due to the difference in diffusion and dissolution rates of metal oxides/hydroxides, and this regeneration is validated by various characterizations. A recorded degradation rate of 0.012 was observed at 1000 mA cm−2 for 1000 h. The facile engineering of OER electrodes from SS combined with the self-replenishing catalyst can potentially address the cost, activity, and long-term stability barriers.
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issn 2399-3669
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spelling doaj-art-664e20f116ce4afa8a7a30dfe9dea92d2025-08-20T02:32:03ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-05-018111110.1038/s42004-025-01549-4Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-levelXiang Lyu0David A. Cullen1Max Pupucevski2Runming Tao3Harry M. Meyer4Jun Yang5Jianlin Li6Todd J. Toops7Tamara J. Keever8Hnin Khaing9Emily Tong10Judith Lattimer11Tomas Grejtak12J. David Arregui-Mena13Alexey Serov14Electrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryCenter for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryGiner LabsElectrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryElectrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryElectrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryBuildings and Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryGiner LabsGiner LabsMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryElectrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryAbstract In the past few decades, tremendous attention has been devoted to enhancing the activity of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for hydrogen production, while the cost and long-term stability of catalysts, which can play an even more important role in industrialization, have been much less emphasized. Herein, we engineered an OER electrode from abundant stainless steel (SS) via facile approaches, and the obtained electrode consists of a Ni-rich oxide surface layer with a Fe-rich metal substrate. An outstanding activity was observed with an overpotential of 316 mV at 100 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Additionally, an electrode self-replenishing concept is proposed in which a Ni-rich catalyst layer can be regenerated from a metallic substrate due to the difference in diffusion and dissolution rates of metal oxides/hydroxides, and this regeneration is validated by various characterizations. A recorded degradation rate of 0.012 was observed at 1000 mA cm−2 for 1000 h. The facile engineering of OER electrodes from SS combined with the self-replenishing catalyst can potentially address the cost, activity, and long-term stability barriers.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01549-4
spellingShingle Xiang Lyu
David A. Cullen
Max Pupucevski
Runming Tao
Harry M. Meyer
Jun Yang
Jianlin Li
Todd J. Toops
Tamara J. Keever
Hnin Khaing
Emily Tong
Judith Lattimer
Tomas Grejtak
J. David Arregui-Mena
Alexey Serov
Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
Communications Chemistry
title Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
title_full Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
title_fullStr Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
title_full_unstemmed Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
title_short Self-replenishing Ni-rich stainless-steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere-level
title_sort self replenishing ni rich stainless steel electrode toward oxygen evolution reaction at ampere level
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01549-4
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