Low-Voltage Hydrogen Peroxide Electrolyzer for Highly Efficient Power-to-Hydrogen Conversion

Power-to-hydrogen conversion in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer requires costly iridium-based catalysts and high voltage to overcome the energy barrier of the oxygen evolution reaction. Here, we demonstrate a highly efficient PEM hydrogen peroxide electrolyzer toward power-to-hydrogen conversion for onsite hydrogen production and energy storage. This design utilizes the facile hydrogen peroxide oxidation reaction (HPOR), significantly reducing the anode potential and cell voltage. Using iridium-free HPOR catalysts, the hydrogen peroxide electrolyzers work at a remarkably low-voltage range (0.8 to 1.2 V) with extremely high voltage efficiency up to 87% and low electric power consumption (ca. 24.8 to 32.3 kWh/kgH2), paving the way for the development of hydrogen economy based on the electrochemical cycle of hydrogen peroxide.