Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The development of low-cost, high-stability catalysts is central to accelerating the industrialization of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis for hydrogen production and to supporting the global carbon neutrality goal. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in PEM water electrolysis catalysts, with particular emphasis on structural optimization of noble metal catalysts and performance breakthroughs of non-noble metal catalysts. Recent studies demonstrate that the loading of precious metals (e.g., Ir <0.3 mg·cm⁻²) can be significantly reduced while intrinsic activity is enhanced through approaches such as nanoengineering and alloying. Meanwhile, non-precious metal systems—including transition metal phosphates, sulfides, and single-atom catalysts—have shown activity approaching that of precious metals. However, their rapid dissolution and deactivation in strongly acidic anodic environments (e.g., Fe dissolution >50% within 100 h) lead to operational lifetimes far below the industrial requirement (>1000 h). This paper further summarizes the mechanisms and effects of heterojunction construction, heteroatom doping, and strain regulation on catalytic performance, and discusses the role of catalytic layer architecture and membrane–electrode integration in determining macroscopic efficiency. Finally, existing gaps in industrial-level current density validation and mechanistic understanding of degradation are highlighted, pointing to research directions for future catalyst design and system integration toward next-generation high-performance PEM electrolyzers.
Author: Yize Yang
Institution: Nanjing Tech University
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415166095