Transition Metal Chalcogenides as Electrocatalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Abstract

Amid escalating energy demand and severe environmental effects, green hydrogen production via water electrolysis has emerged as a cornerstone technology. Conventional alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) generally suffers from low hydrogen purity and current density, while proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) relies on high-cost noble-metal catalysts and harsh acidic conditions. To mitigate these limitations, researchers have turned to anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) as a promising alternative, offering an intermediate pathway that pairs the non-noble metal-based catalysts of AWE with the high purity and compact architecture of PEMWE. However, AEMWE technology remains comparatively underdeveloped. Herein, we have summarized transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) as a low-cost catalyst platform for AEMWE devices. The current review focuses on a comparative analysis across the chalcogen family and discusses how variations in their physicochemical properties influence the overall catalytic performance of anion exchange membrane devices. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of AEMWE, the membrane-electrode assembly, and cell configurations have also been explored in detail. The review critically examines the intrinsic activity of the transition metal chalcogenide-based catalyst layer against device-level performance metrics and further highlights emerging future directions. The review aims to provide a clear roadmap toward the development of highly efficient and commercially competitive AEMWE systems for next-generation green hydrogen production.