ABSTRACT The key to efficient hydrogen production through industrial‐scale alkaline seawater electrolysis lies in the catalyst's stability at current densities ≥ 500 mA cm −2 and its resistance to chlorine corrosion. Herein, the synthesis of a layered double hydroxide (LDH) of NiFeCo modified with trimesic acid (TA) and silver nanoparticles (denoted as NiFeCo‐LDH(TA)@Ag) is reported. The catalyst requires only 330 mV overpotential to achieve the current density of 1 A cm −2 under industrial conditions (60°C, 6 M KOH + seawater). Specifically, a two‐electrode system employing NiFeCo‐LDH(TA)@Ag for the anode and commercial Ni foam for the cathode demonstrates excellent durability, operating for over 1300 h without significant performance degradation. Both results from experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that coordination between TA and LDH stabilizes the metal centers and facilitates electron transfer, which decreases the rate‐determining step energy barrier (3.07 eV). Furthermore, the preferential dynamic adsorption of Cl − ions on Ag nanoparticles effectively shields active sites from Cl − corrosion. This work provides a practical strategy for developing electrocatalysts that combine high performance and high stability for industrial‐scale seawater electrolysis.
Shi et al. (Sat,) studied this question.