Metal hydride mediated water splitting: Electrical energy saving and decoupled H2/O2 generation

Abstract: Reversible hydrogen absorption/desorption, the very fundamental property of metal hydrides (MHs), can be utilized to innovate the water splitting process. Spontaneous hydrogen absorption by a MH electrode shifts the water reduction potential to 0.3?V above the reversible hydrogen electrode. Then, the absorbed hydrogen can be released to give H2 by thermal dehydrogenation at mild temperature below 70?°C by utilizing low grade heat. The MH mediated water splitting combines the electrochemical hydrogen absorption in Ni-MH batteries and the thermal dehydrogenation in gas phase hydrogen storage, which significantly reduces the electrical energy consumption for water splitting up to 25?kJ (mol?H2)−1 compared to an ideal hydrogen evolution catalyst and also automatically leads to decoupled H2/O2 generation. The advantages and mechanisms of the MH mediated water splitting are demonstrated by MH electrodes with surface Pd coating.