Europium Oxide Coatings Boost Seawater Electrolysis

Researchers report rare-earth oxide engineering can markedly reduce chloride-driven corrosion in seawater electrolysis.
A 2025 JACS study by Shen et al. demonstrates that thin europium oxide (Eu2O3) coatings on iron–nickel sulfide electrodes act as both a corrosion barrier and a promoter of the oxygen evolution reaction, enabling higher hydrogen-production currents and longer operational life.
Using advanced in situ diagnostics and modelling, the team showed Eu2O3-treated electrodes sustained about twice the current density of uncoated samples and retained performance for over 1,000 hours under aggressive conditions.
Complementary commentary from Prof. Yangming Lin's group emphasizes atomic-level interface design and comprehensive electrochemical characterisation to track interfacial evolution and reactive intermediates.
Techno-economic estimates in the study suggest coated electrodes could meet profitability thresholds, but key hurdles remain: achieving industrially relevant lifetimes (≈10,000 hours), scaling coating production, and managing rare-earth material costs and complexity.
The work points to a practical pathway for coastal green hydrogen deployment if further R&D addresses durability and manufacturing scalability, potentially accelerating seawater electrolysis adoption in decarbonisation strategies.