Progress on smart integrated systems of seawater purification and electrolysis
Literature Information
Lu Li, Gao Chen, Zongping Shao, Haitao Huang
Water electrolysis powered by renewable energy could provide green hydrogen energy that has significant potential to build a near-zero-emission society. In addition to factors such as catalyst, membrane, and electrolyzer technology, the quality of water is coherently related to the efficiency of water electrolysis, which has garnered intense research interest recently. Impure water (represented by seawater) splitting is expected to enable broader access to water feedstocks and reduce capital costs, but it is currently facing huge operational challenges. To date, ultrapure water electrolysis with or without buffer ions has remained the most practical solution. The purification process is achieved through energy-intensive reverse osmosis technology traditionally, resulting in high capital costs and large ancillary facilities. In very recent years, researchers have been dedicated to integrating seawater purification and electrolysis into a single unit considering its significant advantages in hydrogen production efficiency, stability, energy consumption, cost, and system complexity. This minireview first highlights the progress in the smart integrated systems, then critically discusses their shortcomings, and finally provides perspectives for guiding future developments. The smart integrated systems are expected to provide a more flexible solution for green hydrogen production.
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Source Journal
Energy & Environmental Science

Energy & Environmental Science is an international journal dedicated to publishing exceptionally important and high quality, agenda-setting research tackling the key global and societal challenges of ensuring the provision of energy and protecting our environment for the future. The scope is intentionally broad and the journal recognises the complexity of issues and challenges relating to energy conversion and storage, alternative fuel technologies and environmental science. For work to be published it must be linked to the energy-environment nexus and be of significant general interest to our community-spanning readership. All scales of studies and analysis, from impactful fundamental advances, to interdisciplinary research across the (bio)chemical, (bio/geo)physical sciences and chemical engineering disciplines are welcomed. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Solar energy conversion and photovoltaics Solar fuels and artificial photosynthesis Fuel cells Hydrogen storage and (bio) hydrogen production Materials for energy systems Capture, storage and fate of CO2, including chemicals and fuels from CO2 Catalysis for a variety of feedstocks (for example, oil, gas, coal, biomass and synthesis gas) Biofuels and biorefineries Materials in extreme environments Environmental impacts of energy technologies Global atmospheric chemistry and climate change as related to energy systems Water-energy nexus Energy systems and networks Globally applicable principles of energy policy and techno-economics