A groundbreaking achievement in the field of hydrogen production has been made by a team of researchers in Spain who have developed an iridium-free electrolyzer with record-breaking stability and energy density.
Hydrogen is seen as a promising green fuel that could potentially power airplanes in the future, but current production methods are carbon-emitting and rely on fossil fuels. To address this, researchers globally have been working on developing non-polluting ways to generate hydrogen.
The challenge with electrolyzers, however, is the use of rare and expensive catalysts like iridium. Seeking an alternative, the Spanish researchers focused on developing a cobalt-based catalyst, which is abundantly available. By utilizing a process called delamination, they were able to create a more stable and efficient catalyst that outperformed previous cobalt-based catalysts.
This innovative approach involved incorporating water and its fragments into the catalyst structure, shielding it from the harsh conditions of the electrolysis reaction. The cobalt-tungsten oxide catalyst showed exceptional stability and performance, breaking previous records in terms of longevity.
While the stability achieved is not yet at the level of commercially available PEMs, the researchers are optimistic about the potential of their new catalyst and plan to explore further candidates in the future. Their research findings have been published in the prestigious journal Science, marking a significant step forward in the quest for cleaner hydrogen production methods.
