About this Research Topic
The high gravimetric energy density of 140 MJ/kg has made hydrogen gas an important fuel in the world. However, more than 90% of the hydrogen gas produced globally depends on petrochemical processes, which result in serious environmental problems. Water electrolysis is a sustainable way to generate hydrogen gas without discharging greenhouse gases. Among different kinds of water electrolysis, Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis (PEMWE) is a very promising technology, due to its high energy efficiency, compact cell design, and fast response to the power change of intermittent renewable electricity. The PEMWE technology has received increasing attention in recent years and the megawatt-scale electrolyzer has been demonstrated.
Due to the acidic electrolyte environment in PEMWE, Platinum Group Metal (PGM) based nanocatalysts are routinely used because of their strong acid resistance properties and their high intrinsic activity for water electrolysis. However, the use of PGM leads to high costs of the cell, and eventually the high price of hydrogen gas in the market. It is necessary and urgent to develop low (such as the PGM loading not exceeding 0.2 mg/cm2) or PGM-free nanocatalysts for PEMWE. This Research Topic welcomes research on the development of low-cost nano-electrocatalysts which could potentially be used in PEMWE successfully.
The scope of this Research Topic will be mainly focused on the development of intrinsically active -nanoelectrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution in acidic media. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Design and study of low or PGM-free nano-electrocatalysts for hydrogen or/and oxygen evolution reaction in acid
• Design and evaluation of membrane electrode assembly for PEMWE
• Study of the nanocatalysts using density functional theories.
Due to the acidic electrolyte environment in PEMWE, Platinum Group Metal (PGM) based nanocatalysts are routinely used because of their strong acid resistance properties and their high intrinsic activity for water electrolysis. However, the use of PGM leads to high costs of the cell, and eventually the high price of hydrogen gas in the market. It is necessary and urgent to develop low (such as the PGM loading not exceeding 0.2 mg/cm2) or PGM-free nanocatalysts for PEMWE. This Research Topic welcomes research on the development of low-cost nano-electrocatalysts which could potentially be used in PEMWE successfully.
The scope of this Research Topic will be mainly focused on the development of intrinsically active -nanoelectrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution in acidic media. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Design and study of low or PGM-free nano-electrocatalysts for hydrogen or/and oxygen evolution reaction in acid
• Design and evaluation of membrane electrode assembly for PEMWE
• Study of the nanocatalysts using density functional theories.
Keywords: Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis, PEMWE, Electrocatalysts, hydrogen production, H2
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
