Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How bubbles affect high-rate water electrolysis efficiency
By Wu L et al.·2026·Department of Mechanical Engineering, China·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Bubble dynamics matters at high-rate water electrolysis.
Plain-English summary
This study looks at how bubbles form during a process called water electrolysis, which is used to produce hydrogen. When bubbles build up on the electrode, they can interfere with the process by blocking active sites, making it harder for water to move through the membrane, and causing a lack of water at one part of the system. The researchers suggest a new type of electrode made from a special stainless steel mesh that helps manage these bubbles better. This new design not only costs less but also improves efficiency, reducing the energy needed for the process and allowing it to run smoothly for over 400 hours. Overall, the treatment worked well and could change how we design electrodes for hydrogen production.
Abstract
Bubbles accumulation in the electrode limits anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer performance at industrial current densities (>1.0 A cm<sup>-2</sup>). Currently, conventional electrode designs prioritize the optimization of the electrochemically active surface area. However, this study reveals that bubble dynamics matters high-rate water electrolysis efficiency in anode-feeding mode in three ways:1) cover active sites at the anode; 2) hinder water diffusion through the membrane; 3) cause water shortage at the cathode. Based on this mechanism, we propose an easy-to-prepare gradient stainless steel square hole mesh electrode. It not only offers a low cost ($8-150/m<sup>2</sup>), but also improves bubble dynamics. As a result, it reduces the cell voltage by 0.14 V at a current density of 5.0 A cm<sup>-2</sup>, even with a lower electrochemically active surface area compared to the stainless steel felt electrode. And it maintains a stable operation over 400 hours. This work redefines electrode engineering paradigms, shifting focus from electrochemically active surface area-centric approaches to two-phase flow management in water electrolyzers for industrial current densities-scale hydrogen production.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41633997