Led by Dr. Sungmook Choi, a research unit from the Korea Institute of Materials Science(KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea developed a new technology that makes it possible to produce hydrogen energy using seawater electrolysis. 

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Seawater electrolysis is a promising technology​ for the production of hydrogen energy and seawater desalination. To produce hydrogen energy through seawater electrolysis, highly active electrocatalysis for the oxygen evolution reaction is required. Here, the research unit reported the development of a Ni-doped FeOOH anode for high-efficiency anion exchange membrane alkaline seawater electrolysis. 

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The Ni-doped FeOOH anode showed an overpotential of only 301 mV in half-cell tests, reaching a current density of 100 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 M KOH + seawater. An anion exchange membrane electrolyzer catalyzed by Ni-doped FeOOH exhibited a current density of 729 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 M KOH + seawater with an energy conversion efficiency of 76.35%. Compared to the reported AEM electrolyzer operated in 1.0 M KOH, KIMS AEM electrolyzer catalyzed with Ni-doped FeOOH operated in 1.0 M KOH + seawater exhibited higher performance.