Perovskite-based electrocatalysts: A new frontier in water splitting for sustainable hydrogen production
Hamdani Iqra, Pinky Sagar, Faisal Shahzad, Gupta Vinay, Das Gobind
Abstract
Perovskite materials have emerged as one of the most promising classes of coordination compounds towards electrocatalytic water splitting. The structural flexibility, tunable electronic configurations, and rich surface redox chemistry make such materials potential candidates for electrochemical hydrogen generation. This review presents an extensive investigation of recent advancements in understanding and design of perovskite-based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. Importance is emphasized on correlating crystal field effects, metal-oxygen covalency, and e g orbital occupancy to catalytic activity, offering mechanistic insights into reaction energetics and rate-determining steps. Progress in theoretical descriptors and computational screening are critically reviewed towards predictive catalyst design. Besides mechanistic considerations, this review discusses efficiency benchmarks, stability targets, and techno-economic factors defining translational potential of perovskites-based water splitting systems. A dedicated section critically evaluates commercialization pathways, SWOT analysis and the realistic R&D priorities for accessing benchmark activity and durability against industry standards, while highlighting opportunities and challenges for bridging lab to commercial-scale deployment gap. By integrating fundamental coordination chemistry with practical feasibility, this review aims to deliver both conceptual clarity and a roadmap for accelerating perovskite-based electrocatalysis towards impactful and sustained hydrogen generation.