Electrode Selection and Catalyst Evaluation in Hydrogen Production from Alkaline Water Electrolysis: A Review

Generating hydrogen, through alkaline water electrolysis shows promise as an energy source. This review delves into the significance of choosing the electrodes and evaluating catalysts to enhance the efficiency and performance of hydrogen production. It summarizes the activation energy and losses linked to reactions in alkaline electrolysis emphasizing the necessity for electrode materials and catalysts. The review also touches upon challenges such as electricity consumption and platinum group metal based electro catalysts proposing various electrode materials and catalysts with superior activity and selectivity for hydrogen production. Additionally, it discusses electrolysis cell designs that facilitate separating by-products from hydrogen gas. The study reveals that with low over potentials of 70, 318, and 361 mV at 10, 500, and 1000 mA cm-2, respectively, NiOx/NF exhibits strong alkaline hydrogen evolution activity, resulting in great performance in alkaline HER. Moreover, it outlines advancements in alkaline water electrolysis technology focusing on enhanced efficiency and reduced operating costs associated with electricity consumption. Overall this review underscores the role of selecting electrodes and evaluating catalysts in optimizing hydrogen production from alkaline water electrolysis.