South Korean researchers develop inexpensive catalyst for electrocatalytic water splitting

In South Korea, hydrogen can be produced sustainably by electrocatalytic water splitting, a process where the water molecule is split into oxygen and hydrogen gas using electricity. However, the need for expensive and rare metal catalysts makes the process unfeasible for large-scale industrial use. In a new study, Chung-Ang University researchers develop an inexpensive catalyst composed of a transition metal hydroxide-sulfide heterostructure that makes for highly efficient overall water splitting.  They developed a novel heterostructured catalyst consisting of hollow cobalt sulfide (CoSx) and nickel-iron (NiFe) layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets that simultaneously boosts both the half-reactions.