Scientists have made a monumental discovery in developing an electrolyzer that does not rely on iridium as its anode material. This new catalyst remained stable for a record-breaking 600 hours, as reported in the esteemed journal Science.
Current methods of producing hydrogen are dependent on fossil fuels, leading to carbon dioxide emissions. By utilizing cleaner sources of electricity for water electrolysis, green hydrogen can be generated. PEM electrolyzers are commonly used in hydrogen production.
Iridium, the traditional catalyst material used in electrolyzers, is scarce and only found in trace amounts on Earth’s crust. Due to its scarcity, researchers have sought alternative materials.
Hydrogen electrolysis takes place in highly acidic environments where metals tend to dissolve due to low pH levels and high electric potentials. Iridium oxide, being stable in acidic conditions, has been the preferred catalyst material for PEM electrolyzers.
Previous attempts with manganese and cobalt oxides as catalysts were unsuccessful on a large scale. Researchers at the Instituto de Ciencias Fotónicas (ICFO) aimed to develop a cobalt-based catalyst due to its abundance.
Through a process called delamination, part of the cobalt tungsten oxide material was replaced with water, enhancing the catalyst’s durability. This modified catalyst outperformed previous cobalt catalysts and achieved stability for over 600 hours.
