Cost-efficient and stable electrolysis of reverse osmosis water using a Co-RuO₂-enabled PEM electrolyser
Date
2026
Authors
Liu, H.
Sun, X.
Gao, F.-Y.
Zheng, Y.
Qiao, S.-Z.
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Nature Catalysis, 2026; 9(1):9-17
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Hao Liu, Xiaogang Sun, Fei-Yue Gao, Yao Zheng, Shi-Zhang Qiao
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Abstract
The durability of proton-exchange-membrane water electrolysers (PEMWE) is strongly influenced by the purity of the feedwater. Reverse osmosis (RO) is a cost-effective purification method, but the residual ions usually cause rapid degradation. Here we show that a standard PEMWE equipped with a cobalt-doped ruthenium dioxide (Co-RuO2) anode catalyst can operate stably for 2,000h at 1.0Acm -2 using RO-level impure water, with a degradation rate of 10.2muVh -1. The catalyst provides two complementary protections: Co sites selectively and reversibly capture chloride ions (Cl -), forming a shielding layer against anions corrosion, and strain-activated Ru sites create a proton-rich interface that blocks impurity cations. Together, these effects maintain electrode activity and membrane conductivity. As a result, RO water electrolysis achieves a durability comparable to pure water operation while retaining the cost benefits of seawater-derived purification, offering a practical route towards efficient and affordable hydrogen production.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2026