Nanoporous high-entropy alloys and metallic glasses: advanced electrocatalytic materials for electrochemical water splitting

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach to convert renewable energy into hydrogen energy and is beneficial for alleviating environmental pollution and energy crises, and is considered a clean method to achieve dual-carbon goals. Electrocatalysts can effectively reduce the reaction energy barrier and improve reaction efficiency. However, designing electrocatalysts with high activity and stability still faces significant challenges, which are closely related to the structure and electronic configuration of catalysts. Nanoporous high-entropy alloys (np-HEAs) and metallic glasses (np-MGs), characterized by long-range chemical disorder intertwined with local chemical order combined with three-dimensional, interconnected nanoporous structure, exhibit distinctive electrocatalytic properties and application potential for electrochemical water splitting. To promote the widespread application of np-HEAs and np-MGs, it is of great significance to rationally design and apply them in the field of electrolytic water splitting. In this review, the basic principles of hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction as well as the fabrication techniques of np-HEAs and np-MGs are introduced. The recent progress in the efficient application of np-HEAs and np-MGs in electrochemical water splitting, and the current challenges and prospects are summarized. This review will provide theoretical guidance for the development of np-HEAs and np-MGs in electrochemical water splitting applications.