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Electrolysis of low-grade and saline surface water

Author

Listed:
  • Wenming Tong

    (National University of Ireland Galway
    National University of Ireland Galway)

  • Mark Forster

    (University of Liverpool
    University of Liverpool)

  • Fabio Dionigi

    (Technical University Berlin)

  • Sören Dresp

    (Technical University Berlin)

  • Roghayeh Sadeghi Erami

    (National University of Ireland Galway
    National University of Ireland Galway)

  • Peter Strasser

    (Technical University Berlin)

  • Alexander J. Cowan

    (University of Liverpool
    University of Liverpool)

  • Pau Farràs

    (National University of Ireland Galway
    National University of Ireland Galway)

Abstract

Powered by renewable energy sources such as solar, marine, geothermal and wind, generation of storable hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis provides a promising path towards energy sustainability. However, state-of-the-art electrolysis requires support from associated processes such as desalination of water sources, further purification of desalinated water, and transportation of water, which often contribute financial and energy costs. One strategy to avoid these operations is to develop electrolysers that are capable of operating with impure water feeds directly. Here we review recent developments in electrode materials/catalysts for water electrolysis using low-grade and saline water, a significantly more abundant resource worldwide compared to potable water. We address the associated challenges in design of electrolysers, and discuss future potential approaches that may yield highly active and selective materials for water electrolysis in the presence of common impurities such as metal ions, chloride and bio-organisms.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenming Tong & Mark Forster & Fabio Dionigi & Sören Dresp & Roghayeh Sadeghi Erami & Peter Strasser & Alexander J. Cowan & Pau Farràs, 2020. "Electrolysis of low-grade and saline surface water," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(5), pages 367-377, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:5:y:2020:i:5:d:10.1038_s41560-020-0550-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0550-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas von Döllen & YoungSeok Hwang & Stephan Schlüter, 2021. "The Future Is Colorful—An Analysis of the CO 2 Bow Wave and Why Green Hydrogen Cannot Do It Alone," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Thomas Adisorn & Maike Venjakob & Julia Pössinger & Sibel Raquel Ersoy & Oliver Wagner & Raphael Moser, 2023. "Implications of the Interrelations between the (Waste)Water Sector and Hydrogen Production for Arid Countries Using the Example of Jordan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Hao Shi & Tanyuan Wang & Jianyun Liu & Weiwei Chen & Shenzhou Li & Jiashun Liang & Shuxia Liu & Xuan Liu & Zhao Cai & Chao Wang & Dong Su & Yunhui Huang & Lior Elbaz & Qing Li, 2023. "A sodium-ion-conducted asymmetric electrolyzer to lower the operation voltage for direct seawater electrolysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Xinwu Xu & Yang Lu & Junqin Shi & Xiaoyu Hao & Zelin Ma & Ke Yang & Tianyi Zhang & Chan Li & Dina Zhang & Xiaolei Huang & Yibo He, 2023. "Corrosion-resistant cobalt phosphide electrocatalysts for salinity tolerance hydrogen evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Jie Liang & Zhengwei Cai & Zixiao Li & Yongchao Yao & Yongsong Luo & Shengjun Sun & Dongdong Zheng & Qian Liu & Xuping Sun & Bo Tang, 2024. "Efficient bubble/precipitate traffic enables stable seawater reduction electrocatalysis at industrial-level current densities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Sixie Zhang & Yunan Wang & Shuyu Li & Zhongfeng Wang & Haocheng Chen & Li Yi & Xu Chen & Qihao Yang & Wenwen Xu & Aiying Wang & Zhiyi Lu, 2023. "Concerning the stability of seawater electrolysis: a corrosion mechanism study of halide on Ni-based anode," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
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    8. Kaian Sun & Xueyan Wu & Zewen Zhuang & Leyu Liu & Jinjie Fang & Lingyou Zeng & Junguo Ma & Shoujie Liu & Jiazhan Li & Ruoyun Dai & Xin Tan & Ke Yu & Di Liu & Weng-Chon Cheong & Aijian Huang & Yunqi Li, 2022. "Interfacial water engineering boosts neutral water reduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    9. Tianyu Zhang & Jing Jin & Junmei Chen & Yingyan Fang & Xu Han & Jiayi Chen & Yaping Li & Yu Wang & Junfeng Liu & Lei Wang, 2022. "Pinpointing the axial ligand effect on platinum single-atom-catalyst towards efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Ibrahim, Omar S. & Singlitico, Alessandro & Proskovics, Roberts & McDonagh, Shane & Desmond, Cian & Murphy, Jerry D., 2022. "Dedicated large-scale floating offshore wind to hydrogen: Assessing design variables in proposed typologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Yang Gao & Yurui Xue & Lu Qi & Chengyu Xing & Xuchen Zheng & Feng He & Yuliang Li, 2022. "Rhodium nanocrystals on porous graphdiyne for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution from saline water," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    12. Liu, Zhao & Han, Beibei & Lu, Zhiyi & Guan, Wanbing & Li, Yuanyuan & Song, Changjiang & Chen, Liang & Singhal, Subhash C., 2021. "Efficiency and stability of hydrogen production from seawater using solid oxide electrolysis cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    13. Jining Guo & Yuecheng Zhang & Ali Zavabeti & Kaifei Chen & Yalou Guo & Guoping Hu & Xiaolei Fan & Gang Kevin Li, 2022. "Hydrogen production from the air," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Ghouri, Zafar Khan & Elsaid, Khaled & Mahmoud Nasef, Mohamed & Badreldin, Ahmed & Wubulikasimu, Yiming & Abdel-Wahab, Ahmed, 2022. "Incorporation of manganese carbonyl sulfide ((Mn2S2 (CO)7) and mixed metal oxides-decorated reduced graphene oxide (MnFeCoO4/rGO) as a selective anode toward efficient OER from seawater splitting unde," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 1029-1040.
    15. Xin Kang & Fengning Yang & Zhiyuan Zhang & Heming Liu & Shiyu Ge & Shuqi Hu & Shaohai Li & Yuting Luo & Qiangmin Yu & Zhibo Liu & Qiang Wang & Wencai Ren & Chenghua Sun & Hui-Ming Cheng & Bilu Liu, 2023. "A corrosion-resistant RuMoNi catalyst for efficient and long-lasting seawater oxidation and anion exchange membrane electrolyzer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Wei Liu & Jiage Yu & Tianshui Li & Shihang Li & Boyu Ding & Xinlong Guo & Aiqing Cao & Qihao Sha & Daojin Zhou & Yun Kuang & Xiaoming Sun, 2024. "Self-protecting CoFeAl-layered double hydroxides enable stable and efficient brine oxidation at 2 A cm−2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    17. Mengjun Xiao & Qianbao Wu & Ruiqi Ku & Liujiang Zhou & Chang Long & Junwu Liang & Andraž Mavrič & Lei Li & Jing Zhu & Matjaz Valant & Jiong Li & Zhenhua Zeng & Chunhua Cui, 2023. "Self-adaptive amorphous CoOxCly electrocatalyst for sustainable chlorine evolution in acidic brine," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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