Cheap and efficient. Engineers have created a new catalyst for producing green hydrogen

Scientists have made a breakthrough in the field of green hydrogen production by developing a new catalyst that does not contain expensive platinum group metals.

Researchers from the ANEMEL project have created an efficient and stable catalyst for water splitting, opening the way to more affordable and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. The results of the study were published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Current water electrolyzers used for green hydrogen production are based on anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and use platinum and other platinum group metals as catalysts. These metals, although highly efficient, are rare and expensive, which limits the widespread use of the technology. The new catalyst developed by ANEMEL avoids the use of these expensive materials by replacing them with more affordable metals such as nickel.

ANEMEL researchers have developed an innovative approach to catalyst fabrication based on two key concepts: a self-supported catalyst and electrodeposition. The self-supported catalyst is grown directly on a substrate known as a gas diffusion layer (GDL), which provides gas diffusion and conductivity.

Electrodeposition is a method used to deposit a metal coating on a surface. In this case, the researchers used electrodeposition to grow a nickel-molybdenum catalyst on carbon paper, which served as a substrate for the GDS.

The novelty of the development lies in the method and parameters used to create a highly efficient catalyst. The researchers optimized the composition of the electrodeposition bath and the deposition process, achieving high current densities. Unlike traditional methods, they did not use a buffer agent such as boric acid, relying instead on an electrolyte with high conductivity. This made it possible to achieve a higher deposition current density and obtain a more compact and thicker electrode structure.

The result was a catalyst with excellent activity. It ensured stable operation of electrolyzers at current densities up to 3 A/cm2, which is comparable to the performance of platinum catalysts, and in some parameters even surpasses them.

The study also revealed structural changes occurring in the catalyst during the reaction process, which explain its high efficiency. It turned out that molybdenum atoms migrate to the surface of the catalyst and oxidize, which facilitates the process of water splitting.

This achievement is an important step on the path to large-scale production of green hydrogen. The development of ANEMEL opens up prospects for creating more affordable and efficient water electrolyzers, which will contribute to the development of hydrogen energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.