Electrocatalyst-Hydrogel Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Films for Water Splitting

Realization of scalable technologies for key processes like electrochemical water splitting requires the development of sustainable, efficient and cost-effective catalytic electrodes. The innumerable electrocatalysts being developed in contemporary research rely on the use of a limited choice of binders for effective deployment in the electrolysis setting. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of electrically insulating hydrogel polymers as suitable matrices for incorporating the electrocatalyst nanoparticles; the nanocomposite thin films coated on conducting substrates mediate highly efficient electrocatalytic water splitting reactions through the effective confinement of the electrolyte within and release of the gaseous products. After a brief introduction to the basic challenges in the field and the existing approaches that address them, this article outlines the promise of hydrogel based nanocomposite thin films in developing efficient and sustainable catalytic electrodes for water splitting, and their functional role in enhancing the efficiency of the electrochemical process. Directions for further development in this domain are noted. Efficient and sustainable catalytic electrodes for water splitting and potentially other electrocatalytic processes can be fabricated through the non-conventional deployment of electrically insulating hydrogel polymer based nanocomposite thin films. image