Key criteria for next-generation dimensionally stable electrodes towards large-scale green hydrogen production by water electrolysis

Abstract

The dimensionally stable electrode (DSE) is one of the greatest inventions of the 20 th century in electrochemical technology, and its importance for our society is comparable to that of insertion-type electrodes in Li-ion batteries. In the 21 st century, the need for large-scale and efficient green-hydrogen production by a combination of water electrolysis and renewable energies, which is necessary to achieve carbon neutrality while ensuring energy security, has created considerable demand for next-generation DSEs. In this review, we discuss several issues related to DSE materials. Although DSE is a well-developed technology from the view of the present industry, new scientific advances are still needed to meet the wide range of modern technological criteria necessary to achieve a net-zero society. Here, we put an emphasis on (1) the choice of elements and (2) the choice of electrolyte for an efficient search and discovery of novel sustainable electrode materials.