From catalyst to cell: Application of NiFe-LDHs in high-performance anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers

The quest of affordable and massive-scale green hydrogen has propelled anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) to the forefront of clean energy research, urgently demanding highly active and durable anode catalysts. Among of these, NiFe layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) have emerged as preeminent non-noble metal catalysts owing to their superior performance caused by the typical layered structure and unique bimetallic synergistic effects. This review first systematically investigates the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) pathways related to NiFe-LDHs, covering the adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM) and lattice oxygen-mediated mechanism (LOM), and oxide pathway mechanism (OPM). Subsequently, five modification strategies are elaborated covering elemental doping, support engineering, defect engineering, heterostructure construction and morphological regulation. Crucially, this review addresses practical AEMWE applications of the NiFe-LDHs. It details the optimization of membrane electrode assembly, porous transport layers, anion exchange membrane and bipolar plates. Finally, we outline the current technical bottlenecks and propose future perspectives, emphasizing the need for unraveling degradation mechanisms, achieving pure-water operation, and developing scalable manufacturing. This review delivers critical perspectives for advancing NiFe-LDH-based AEMWEs from laboratory research to industrial commercialization.