Finite Element Analysis of Local pH Variations in Electrolysis with Porous Electrodes, Considering Water Self-Ionization

A finite element model was developed to simulate ion fluxes and local pH changes within and around porous electrodes during the H2 evolution reaction (HER) in acidic electrolytes. This model is particularly characterized by its ability to simulate scenarios in which the local pH inside and near the cathode exceeds 7, even under bulk acidic conditions (e.g., pH = 1), by considering the self-ionization of water. Steady-state calculations using meshes with an appropriate spatial distribution inside and near the cathode revealed that the relationship between the local pH and the double-layer potential at the interface between the porous catalyst layer and the electrolyte domains changed notably when the local pH exceeded the threshold of 7. By comparing the fluxes of H+ and OH– ions at the interface and using the thickness of the catalyst layer as a variable, we determined that the presence of H+ ions within the pores or the supply of OH– ions from the pores to the interface was responsible for the characteristic change in the local pH observed for the porous electrode. The porous electrode model constructed in this study can potentially serve as a basis that can be extended to a wide range of electrolysis systems, including not only the HER, but also the reduction of CO2, H2O2, and O2, and even oxidation reactions such as the O2 evolution reaction.