Green hydrogen production from water splitting powered by renewable electricity

Water splitting via an electrolyser powered by renewable or excess electricity is a full solution for sustainable net-zero production of green hydrogen, however, it is an energetically uphill process involving the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Whilst the 2-electron HER is relatively facile, the 4-electron OER is particularly sluggish and requires noble metal (Ir, Ru) electrocatalysts under acidic conditions. However, under alkaline conditions, OER is much facile and significant progress has been made recently where non-noble metal electrocatalysts such as transition metal (Ni, Fe) based layered double hydroxides (LDHs), phosphides and nitrides were effectively used for OER, and the latter two were also proven as bifunctional electrocatalysts for HER as well for OER.
Build upon our nascent work on new electrocatalysts and electrodes for the OER anode and HER cathode, and the anion-exchange-membrane (AEM), in this project we will integrate the state-of-art electrocatalyst materials onto the alkaline AEM to develop membrane-electrode-assembly based water electrolyser, for sustainable hydrogen production with the maximum resource and energy efficiencies. We will pay particular attention to the catalytic electrode-electrolyte interface engineering to achieve efficient reaction kinetic, and fast charge and mass transports in the water electrolyser, to minimise overpotential loss and gain maximum voltage and overall system efficiency.
Deliverables
-A low-cost and scalable water electrolyser demonstrator for green hydrogen production, having an optimised scaffold structure and avoiding the use of noble metals, together with an in-depth understanding of the catalysis and electrochemical interactions involved.