Au nanocluster coupling with Gd-Co2B nanoflakes embedded in reduced TiO2 nanosheets: Seawater electrolysis at low cell voltage with high selectivity and corrosion resistance

Abstract Seawater electrolysis offers a promising technology for environmental remediation and mass production of sustainable hydrogen. However, intricated synthetic routes, limited oxygen selectivity, and electrode corrosion severely hamper the practical viability of this technology. Here, we designed an effective strategy to assemble interface-rich, Au NCs decorated Gd-Co2B nanoflakes embedded in TiO2 nanosheets grown on Ti foil (Au-Gd-Co2B@TiO2) to meet the multiple needs of electrodes for seawater electrolysis. Benefiting from the high electrical conductivity, superior intrinsic activity, and improved transfer coefficient, this free-standing, Au-Gd-Co2B@TiO2 electrocatalyst demonstrates outstanding performance towards overall seawater splitting needing a small overpotential of 510 mV to attain a geometric activity of 1000 mAcm-2 in alkaline seawater. The higher activity and specificity of Au-Gd- Co2B@TiO2 are credited to the oxygen vacancies and the presence of the Co-Au surface. Furthermore, its super hydrophilic-aerophobic features, improved corrosion resistance, and impressive durability reveal its practical viability for actual seawater electrolysis.