Water electrolysis using water-absorbing porous electrolyte consisting of a sulfonated nanotitania proton conductor

Abstract

A sulfonated nanotitania proton conductor based on hydrous titania was applied to water electrolysis as a hydrogen production method from electricity. Hydrous titania in the form of nanoparticles was used as a water absorbing porous electrolyte to allow water transport to the anode via electrolyte part of the water electrolysis cell. Overpotential of the porous electrolyte cell in water was lower than that of the Nafion 117 membrane. Evolution of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis were confirmed although the rates of gas evolution were smaller than those calculated from Faraday's law. © The Electrochemical Society of Japan, All rights reserved.