In Situ Reconstructed Corrosion-Resistant PO_x^y− Prolongs Electrode Lifespans for Efficient Ampere-Level Water/Seawater Oxidation

Abstract

Economical, stable, and corrosion-resistant catalytic electrodes are still urgently needed for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water and seawater. Herein, a mild electroless plating strategy is used to achieve large-scale preparation of the “integrated” phosphorus-based precatalyst (FeP–NiP) on nickel foam (NF), which is in situ reconstructed into a highly active and corrosion-resistant (Fe)NiOOH phase for OER. The interaction between phosphate anions (PO_x^y−) and iron ions (Fe³⁺) tunes the electronic structure of the catalytic phase to further enhance OER kinetics. The integrated FeP–NiP@NF electrode exhibits low overpotentials for OER in alkaline water/seawater, requiring only 275/289, 320/336, and 349/358 mV to reach 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 A cm⁻², respectively. The in situ reconstructed PO_x^y− anion electrostatically repels Cl⁻ in seawater electrolytes, allowing stable operation for over 7 days at 1.0 A cm⁻² in extreme electrolytes (1.0 M KOH + seawater and 6.0 M KOH + seawater), demonstrating industrial-level stability. This study overcomes the complex synthesis limitations of P-based materials through innovative material design, opening new avenues for electrochemical energy conversion.

Keywords

ampere-level current density / high stability and corrosion resistance / in situ reconstruction / integrated phosphorus electrode / water/seawater for oxygen evolution reaction

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