Pt (Ru, Ir)-doped amorphous electrocatalysts enabling practical sponge electrodes for industrial-scale seawater splitting

Abstract Designing active and stable catalytic electrodes is essential for large-scale hydrogen production through water electrolysis. In this work, we successfully fabricated a catalytic electrode (Pt-NiB/MS) via a one-step, rapid, and mild electroless plating method, incorporating ultra-trace platinum-decorated NiB alloy onto a corrosion-resistant and cost-effective sponge substrate. This electrode is comparable to industrial-grade three-dimensional nickel foam and Raney nickel substrates. The precise modulation of Pt enables the design of tunable three-dimensional electrodes and the fabrication of ultra-rigid structures that can serve as robust alternatives to commercial electrodes. Doping with merely 0.02% Pt effectively regulates the electronic structure of the NiB alloy surface, facilitating the generation and transformation of reaction intermediates. The electrode exhibits outstanding HER/OER activity, with trace Pt incorporation reducing the overall water-splitting overpotential by 40 mV at a current density of 200 mA cm −2 , enabling operation at only 1.846 V. Furthermore, it demonstrates remarkable long-term stability, maintaining performance over 720 h at a current density of 0.5 A cm −2 . More importantly, this preparation strategy enables a universal, mild, and rapid synthesis approach for various noble metals (e.g., Ru, Ir), expanding its applicability. The developed electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance and potential for integration into anion exchange membrane systems. This strategy provides a promising alternative to industrial-grade Raney nickel.