Role of an external magnetic field in overcoming the sluggish electrochemical water splitting kinetics through bubble dynamics.

The gradual increase in global temperature due to the excessive utilization of fossil fuels has led to many socioeconomic issues globally. The utilization of green fuels, such as H2, is attaining enormous attention in such a scenario. Electrochemical water splitting is one of the most attractive techniques to produce green energy. However, the kinetics of this process is largely affected by the gas bubbles produced. This review offers a comprehensive study of the electrochemical water-splitting kinetics in terms of H2/O2 gas bubble dynamics and the growth, detachment and coalescences of bubbles. The effect of bubble attachment to the surface of electrodes on the reaction kinetics is discussed in detail. The effects produced by the application of an external applied magnetic field (MF) on bubble dynamics and consequently on the rate of water splitting are discussed in detail. The effect of the applied MF on the spin polarization of the reacting species is also manipulated to improve the reaction kinetics. A bird's eye view is provided on the chirality and morphology of the electrodes to optimize the reaction conditions for the electrochemical processes. We hope that this review will lay a solid foundation to understand the effect of gas bubbles on the reaction kinetics and their removal under the action of an external magnetic field.