海水直接电解制氢体系阴极碱垢的形成机制及抑制策略

Hydrogen energy is regarded as an ideal energy carrier for the future. Traditional hydrogen production through fossil fuel reforming fails to fundamentally address carbon emission issues. Direct seawater electrolysis has emerged as a promising hydrogen production technology with significant prospects. Compared to conventional pure-water electrolysis systems，natural seawater exhibits a more complex chemical composition and induces additional side reactions during electrolysis，thereby imposing higher requirements on electrode materials and electrolyzer structural design. The chlorine evolution reaction（CER）at the anode and calcium/ magnesium ion precipitation at the cathode constitutes two critical challenges in direct seawater electrolysis. While substantial research has been reported in recent years regarding the mechanisms and suppression strategies of CER，comparatively fewer studies have systematically addressed the fundamental mechanisms and inhibition approaches for cathodic calcium/magnesium deposition. Practical hydrogen production processes require particular attention to electrode performance degradation caused by such inorganic precipitates，including increased mass transfer resistance and reduced electrolysis efficiency. This review initiates from the formation mechanisms of calcium/magnesium precipitation on cathode surfaces，elaborates on the fundamental principles and technical challenges of direct seawater electrolysis，and critically summarizes recent advances in suppression strategies against cathodic inorganic deposition. Furthermore，perspectives on future research directions for seawater electrolysis technology are provided，emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigations into electrode-electrolyte interfaces and scalable system optimization.