催化学报

催化学报 ›› 2027, Vol. 92: 65-86.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(26)65280-1

• 综述 • 上一篇    下一篇

面向工业电流密度碱性析氢的电催化剂工程: 设计策略与未来展望

邝攀勇a,c,*, 倪振瑞a, 陈思涵a, 余维来b,*   

  1. a中国地质大学(武汉)材料与化学学院, 太阳燃料实验室, 湖北武汉 430078;
    b香港科技大学化学系, 香港;
    c中国地质大学(武汉)内蒙古研究院, 内蒙古鄂尔多斯 017010
  • 收稿日期:2026-07-14 接受日期:2026-09-14 出版日期:2027-01-18 发布日期:2026-10-30
  • 通讯作者: *电子信箱: kuangpanyong@cug.edu.cn (邝攀勇), weilaiyu@ust.hk (余维来).
  • 基金资助:
    国家重点研发计划(2022YFB3803600); 国家自然科学基金(22272153, 22479132, 22005232, 22238009, U23A20102, W2512051, 22361142704).

Engineering electrocatalysts for industrial-current-density alkaline hydrogen evolution: Design principles and future perspectives

Panyong Kuanga,c,*, Zhenrui Nia, Sihan Chena, Weilai Yub,*   

  1. aLaboratory of Solar Fuel, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430078, Hubei, China;
    bDepartment of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China;
    cInner Mongolia Institute of Technology, China University of Geosciences, Ordos 017010, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Received:2026-07-14 Accepted:2026-09-14 Online:2027-01-18 Published:2026-10-30
  • Contact: *E-mail: kuangpanyong@cug.edu.cn (P. Kuang), weilaiyu@ust.hk (W. Yu).
  • About author:Panyong Kuang (China University of Geosciences) received his Ph.D. degree in 2019 and completed his postdoctoral research in 2021 at Wuhan University of Technology under the supervision of Prof. Jiaguo Yu. In 2021, he joined the Laboratory of Solar Fuel at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). From 2023 to 2024, he was a visiting scholar at Cardiff University, under the supervision of Prof. Graham J. Hutchings. His research focuses on the precise synthesis and structural regulation of supported, heterostructured, and low-loading noble-metal-based catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion, including water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction. He has published more than 50 SCI-indexed papers and has been recognized among the World’s Top 2% Scientists (2023–2025). He serves as a young editorial board member of Rare Metals, Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica, and Chinese Journal of Rare Metals, and is a member of the Chinese Energy Society and the Energy Conversion and Storage Committee of the Wuhan Energy Society.； Weilai Yu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). His research program aims at seamlessly integrating fundamental electrochemistry, surface science, and functional material-interface design toward developing next-generation technologies for energy conversion and storage, aided by an interdisciplinary approach that combines high-throughput and autonomous experimentation with artificial intelligence. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Wuhan University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), respectively. Prior to joining HKUST, he was an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto and a Postdoctoral Scholar in Chemical Engineering at Stanford University. His notable academic recognitions include the Electrochemical Society (ECS) Battery Division Postdoctoral Research Award (2025) and selection as a Young Scientist at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (2022). He currently serves as a Community Editorial Board Member of Materials Horizons, a flagship journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFB3803600) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22272153, 22479132, 22005232, 22238009, U23A20102, W2512051, 22361142704).

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摘要： 随着可再生能源驱动绿色氢能技术的快速发展, 电催化水分解制氢被认为是实现低碳能源转型的重要途径. 析氢反应(HER)作为电解水阴极反应, 其在高电流密度下的催化效率与长期稳定性直接影响工业电解制氢的能耗和运行可靠性. 然而, 传统实验室条件下以低电流密度和低催化剂负载为基础建立的性能评价体系, 难以充分反映工业电流密度下快速反应动力学、强化传质、氢气气泡累积以及电极结构和活性相演变等复杂问题. 因此, 开发能够在大电流密度下兼具高活性、优异传质能力和长期稳定性的HER电催化剂, 是推动电解水制氢规模化应用的关键.
本综述围绕工业电流密度下HER电催化剂的结构设计与性能调控, 系统总结近年来的研究进展, 并从形貌与界面工程、本征活性工程以及稳定性工程三个方面归纳主要设计策略. 首先, 重点讨论自支撑电极、分级多孔结构以及润湿性调控在改善电子传输、电解液浸润、氢气气泡脱附和界面传质方面的作用; 其次, 从双活性位点构筑、元素掺杂和缺陷工程等角度, 阐述通过调控局域配位环境、电子结构及反应中间体吸附行为提升碱性HER本征活性的机制; 进一步从机械稳定性和化学稳定性两个方面, 总结增强催化剂结构完整性、抑制活性组分溶解和相变以及调控动态表面重构的关键策略. 同时, 结合代表性催化剂的高电流密度性能、工作电解质、运行温度、稳定性及测试构型, 对不同设计策略进行了定量归纳与比较.
在此基础上, 本文进一步讨论工业电流密度HER从实验室评价向实际电解槽运行转化过程中面临的关键挑战, 包括真实电解条件下的催化剂演变与失活机制、催化剂/电解液界面微环境调控、电极与催化层工程、全电解槽性能评价以及可再生能源驱动下动态运行稳定性等. 最后, 提出未来应从静态结构设计进一步转向结构–活性–稳定性协同调控, 加强原位/操作条件表征、理论模拟与长期工业电流密度测试的深度结合, 建立更加可靠的结构–性能关系和标准化评价体系, 从而为开发高效、稳定且可规模化应用的HER电催化剂及绿色制氢体系提供理论依据与设计指导.

关键词: 析氢反应, 工业电流密度, 形貌与界面工程, 本征活性工程, 稳定性工程

Abstract: Renewable electricity-powered water electrolysis is a cornerstone technology for sustainable hydrogen (H2) production and future carbon-neutral energy systems. However, realizing economically viable large-scale H2 production requires electrocatalysts capable of sustaining high activity and long-term durability at industrial current densities, where intensified mass transport limitations, rapid gas evolution, and accelerated catalyst degradation fundamentally alter reaction kinetics and device performance. Recent advances in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts have demonstrated that efficient industrial-current-density operation relies not only on intrinsic catalytic activity but also on the synergistic optimization of catalyst architecture, interfacial mass transport, bubble dynamics, and structural stability. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent progress in alkaline HER electrocatalysts from the perspectives of morphological and interfacial engineering, intrinsic activity regulation, and durability enhancement, while establishing the relationships among catalyst structure, reaction kinetics, mass transport, gas evolution, and long-term operational stability. We further discuss challenges in bridging laboratory-scale catalyst development with practical water electrolysis, including interfacial microenvironment regulation, catalyst-layer engineering, standardized performance evaluation, and dynamic operation under renewable-energy-driven conditions. Finally, we highlight emerging design principles and future opportunities for developing highly efficient and durable HER electrocatalysts for practical green hydrogen production.

Key words: Hydrogen evolution reaction, Industrial current density, Morphological and interfacial engineering, Intrinsic activity engineering, Durability engineering