As the energy industries, such as secondary batteries and fuel cells, expand rapidly, the demand for transition metals used as electrode materials is increasing, which has led to a rise in their prices. One promising strategy to address these challenges is upcycling, which involves recycling transition metal-based waste from various industries. In this study, a heterostructure electrocatalyst for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis is developed by upcycling iron-based waste from the automotive industry. The iron-based swarf is converted into single-phase Fe2O3 by removing surface impurities through calcination in air. Subsequently, NiFe-LDH is formed via sequential hydrothermal synthesis, resulting in NiFe-LDH/Fe2O3 heterostructured electrocatalysts. The hetero-interface between NiFe-LDH and Fe2O3 significantly reduced the electrochemical activation barrier, enhancing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and, furthermore, achieving high-performance AEMWE. This approach not only reduces waste but also provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional materials, highlighting the potential for sustainable and efficient energy solutions.
Keywords: anion exchange membrane water electrolysis; electrocatalyst; recycled material; recycling; water splitting.
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