Direct seawater electrolysis via synergistic acidification by inorganic precipitation and proton flux from bipolar membrane

• Seawater is acidified to a pH of 2 while hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) occurs. Interaction between inorganic precipitation and water dissociation bipolar membrane. Acidification seawater reduces cathode potential for HER. Formation dispersed precipitates suppressed by acidification. acidification an effective electrolyte engineering strategy direct electrolysis. This report describes electrolysis (DSE) wherein natural used as catholyte without filtration or pretreatment; hydroxide ions are produced at the (HER). It results from cooperative effect trapped through proton flux in membrane (BPM; separator). The proposed BPM-DSE substantially mitigates passivation, eliminates requirement additional processes treatment catholyte, ( E c ) required HER enable long-term DSE. BPM this system plays critical role maintaining concentration, suppressing chlorine (ClER), maximizing oxygen reaction. These findings expected suggest breakthrough toward large-scale operation DSE that successfully overcomes challenges such energy consumption, precipitation, ClER, corrosion.