Publication date: 21st July 2025
Proton exchange water electrolyzer (PEMWE) is rising up as an advanced and effective solution for green hydrogen production [1]. Green hydrogen, offers an alternative to fossil fuel, providing flexible energy storage for extended periods and enabling highly efficient reconversion to electricity through fuel cells. However, its market penetration is still limited by two key challenges: (1) scarcity of iridium (Ir)-based anodes required to catalyze the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and (2) the limited understanding of PEMWE performance and durability, which slows technological advancement. Nanostructured and unsupported Ir-based catalysts, which maximize Ir utilization, have demonstrated promising performance [2], however, the nature of their active site during OER and the mechanism driving their deactivation remain unknown.
Advanced X-ray techniques help unlock the complexity of materials and drive innovation in energy applications. In particular, only operando experiments can provide the detailed, real-time understanding necessary to capture these dynamic changes [3].
In this study, operando X-ray total scattering combined with atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis is used to probe both the crystalline and amorphous atomic architectures of nanostructured and unsupported Ir-based catalysts in PEMWE [4]. The results give insights on the complex, potential-dependent local structure dynamics occurring during PEMWE operation.
R.C gratefully acknowledge financial support from the French National Research Agency through the HOLYCAT project (grant number n◦ ANR-22-CE05-0007).
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