journal article·2025-12Open access

An Alloy Nanowire‐Based Water Splitting Electrode Adapting Fluctuating Electric Power Input

Yunyi Jia, Hongjie Liu, Jingjing Weng, Lumeng Wang, Ju Chen, Rui Yao, Yunxiang Zhao, Weisheng Pan, Shunhang Hua, Caiwu Liang, Johnny C. Ho, Cheng Yang

Small· Volume 21· Issue 48

Abstract

Abstract Water electrolysis is a promising strategy for storing surplus renewable electricity in the form of green hydrogen. However, the intermittent nature of renewable power causes frequent start‐stop cycles in electrolyzers, inducing reverse current, which accelerates catalyst degradation and compromises electrode durability. Despite its long‐standing industrial relevance, the understanding of irreversible damage mechanisms under dynamic cycling and effective mitigation remains limited. Here, a self‐supported ternary alloy nanowire electrode is presented with exceptional tolerance to intermittent operation via synergistic structural and electronic regulation. The assembled anion membrane electrolyzer delivers a low cell voltage of 2.33 V at 4 A cm −2 and maintains stable performance over 900 h at 1 A cm −2 . Under 2000 cycles of intermittent reverse current, the ternary alloy electrode exhibits ≈40% lower voltage decay than its binary NiFe counterpart. The nanowire architecture, combining high surface area and mechanical flexibility, facilitates efficient gas bubble release and alleviates local stress. Incorporation of cobalt stabilizes active sites by increasing vacancy formation energy and tuning the electronic structure, thereby mitigating degradation caused by reverse current pulses. This work establishes a benchmark for reverse‐current adaptive electrode design for water splitting, promoting stable hydrogen production and storage under intermittent renewable energy sources.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion · Advanced battery technologies research · Fuel Cells and Related Materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Institute of Materials Research Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School Tsinghua University Shenzhen 518055 China

Department of Materials Imperial College London London 4615 UK

Department of Chemistry Centre for Processable Electronics Imperial College London London 4615 UK

Department of Materials Science and Engineering City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR 53025 China

State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR 53025 China

Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering Kyushu University Fukuoka 8190382 Japan

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

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