Optimized Gas–Liquid Transport via Local Flow Field Management for Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Abstract

Electrochemical water splitting is a key technique for sustainable hydrogen production, but its efficiency is often compromised by bubble formation during electrolysis. In this work, we introduce a new electrolyzer design that strategically optimizes gas and liquid flow distributions to facilitate rapid bubble removal, thereby enhancing the electrochemical process. By incorporating a hydrophobic and gas-venting layer, our design significantly shortens the bubble transfer path and reduces the level of accumulation. This advancement results in a voltage reduction of more than 50 mV and a decrease in performance fluctuations exceeding 50% compared with traditional systems. Through detailed optical analyses and finite element simulations, we further elucidate the effects of the gas–liquid transport, enabling high-performance electrolysis with a volumetric current density of 333 mA cm^–3 at 1.8 V. These findings underscore the potential of local flow field management in advancing electrolyzer design and other electrochemical systems.