Revolutionizing Green Hydrogen: From Precious Metals to Sustainable Electrocatalysts
Noble-precious metal catalysts such as Platinum, Iridium and Palladium are widely used in #greenhydrogen (GH2) production due to their excellent catalytic properties. Their high cost and limited availability, however, are significant challenges limiting their large-scale application.
Recycling wise, innovators including Johnson Matthey are driving circularity with their ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ technology which delivers recycled PGMs back into catalyst and catalyst coated membrane production. https://matthey.com/products-and-markets/pgms-and-circularity/pgm-refining-and-recycling/hydrogen-fuel-cell-recycling-and-refining
Alternative emerging ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ based on ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ-๐ง๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ, ๐ง๐จ๐ง-๐ง๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ i.e. transition metal and ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ-๐๐ซ๐๐ content are paving the way for more efficient and sustainable hydrogen generation. Some notable advancements include:
โข ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ:
Another noble metal, these are gaining attention as a cost-effective alternative to platinum-based catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-97-1339-4_18?form=MG0AV3
โข ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ:
Materials like manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper are being explored for their potential in HER due to their higher availability and lower cost when compared to precious metals. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-023-01616-z?form=MG0AV3
โข ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ-๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฌ:
These materials, which include nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur, boron and graphene-doping of carbon, are particularly promising for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions, which are crucial steps in green hydrogen electrolysis. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2021/ra/d1ra03446d?form=MG0AV3
โข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐ฌ):
HEMs are a new class of materials which include alloys and oxides containing various metal components, characterised by their high entropy with unique properties such as high structural stability and low atomic diffusion. https://stats.iop.org/article/10.1088/2752-5724/accbd8
โข ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ:
These materials, which include Conducting and Porous Organic Polymers (POPs), can be engineered to exhibit high electrocatalytic activity, making them effective for the Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions needed during electrolysis. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/cs/d3cs00727h
โข ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง:
The concept here when applied to electrocatalysts is to boost their performance and cost efficiency whilst reducing the amount needed. Enhanced stability also means longer lifespans and less frequent replacement, reducing waste.
The commercial availability of nanostructured electrocatalysts is still growing, but the trend is clear: as this technology matures, it will become more widely adopted in the industry. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11244-022-01706-2?form=MG0AV3
Biyat Energy & Environment Ltd supports both end users and electrolyser manufacturers identify the most sustainable way approach when considering these emerging technologies.
Some key environmental impacts to consider include:
โ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Impacts from mining activities.
โ ๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ: Issues related to energy consumption, GHG emissions, and the use of hazardous chemicals.
โ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ: Challenges involving disposal, toxicity, recyclability, the generation of problematic waste streams, and ecological effects due to nanoparticle release.
โ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฌ: Additional concerns such as sourcing materials from renewable resources, the use of pyrolysis, managing chemical waste, addressing degradation, mitigating microplastic pollution, and overcoming recycling challenges.
Photo credit:
Next-Generation Green Hydrogen: Progress and Perspective from Electricity, Catalyst to Electrolyte in Electrocatalytic Water Splitting
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40820-024-01424-2?form=MG0AV3
We hope you found this article useful!
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This article was written by Luay Zayed, founder of Biyat Energy & Environmental Ltd. A global energy and environmental consultancy specializing in turnkey engineering solutions that protect the environment and improve energy efficiency in the manufacturing & industrial sectors.
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