Lee, Jegon Kim, Sol Kim, Jin Young Jang, Jong Hyun Park, Hee-Young Seo, Bora 2025-11-21T00:02:01Z 2025-11-21T00:02:01Z 2025-11-11 2025-11 1385-8947 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/153548 Achieving high-efficiency polymer electrolyte water electrolysis (PEMWE) with minimal use of precious metals remains a critical challenge for clean hydrogen production. A major bottleneck is the interface resistance at the membrane-electrode-diffusion layer, especially under low catalyst loadings. Here, a simple yet powerful catalyst-integrated diffusion layer fabrication strategy is presented that enables ultralow interface resistance even at reduced Ir loadings. By directly synthesizing a TiO2-supported IrOx catalyst (TiO2-IrOx) onto Ti felt through a single-step calcination, a porous transport electrode (PTE) is constructed and serves as a high-performance anode. At an optimized Ir loading of only similar to 0.12 mg(Ir) cm(-2), the TiO2-IrOx PTE exhibits an exceptional current density of 2.54 A cm(-2) at 1.9 V, outperforming state-of-the-art benchmark electrodes. Moreover, even after a long-term durability test with ultralow loadings (<0.1 mg(Ir) cm(-2)), the ultralow interface resistance of the TiO2-IrOx PTE is maintained. As a result, the TiO2-IrOx PTE achieves a significantly high mass activity of 20 A mg(Ir)(-1) at 1.9 V, far surpassing conventional Ir-based electrodes. This work provides a compelling pathway toward reducing dependence on scarce platinum-group metals without compromising the performance of the PEMWE system. English Elsevier BV Ultralow interface resistance in porous transport electrode for efficient polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis at low Ir loading Article 10.1016/j.cej.2025.168556 1 Chemical Engineering Journal, v.524 Chemical Engineering Journal 524 Y scie scopus 001592211200001 2-s2.0-105017714138 Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering Article PERFORMANCE IRIDIUM LAYER NANOCATALYSTS TEMPERATURE ANODES Porous transport electrode Low Ir loading Membrane-electrode assembly Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis Ultralow interface resistance