Korean Researchers Develop High-Performance Catalyst for Cost-Effective Green Hydrogen Production
- Madina Turaeva
- Feb 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 4
Researchers behind the development of catalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) water electrolysis (From left: Dr. Jun Sang Eon, postdoctoral researcher, Seoul National University; Dr. Park Sun Hwa, Principal Researcher, KRISS; Dr. Kwon Ki Chang, Senior Researcher, KRISS; Dr. LEE SOO HEYONG, Principal Researcher, KRISS)
Newswise — Green hydrogen, produced through water electrolysis, is a next-generation eco-friendly energy source that does not generate pollutants like carbon dioxide. The efficiency of green hydrogen production heavily depends on the performance of catalysts, which facilitate the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. Consequently, the commercialization of green hydrogen hinges on the development of cost-effective catalysts that maintain high performance over extended periods.
In a groundbreaking achievement, researchers in Korea have successfully developed a new catalyst material that significantly enhances the efficiency of green hydrogen production while reducing costs.
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has introduced a high-performance base metal catalyst for use in anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis. The newly developed catalyst not only surpasses the performance of precious metal-based alternatives but also lowers production costs, marking a significant step toward the large-scale commercialization of green hydrogen.
Advancing AEM Water Electrolysis
AEM electrolysis is emerging as a promising next-generation water electrolysis technology, theoretically allowing the use of cost-effective non-metallic catalysts to produce large quantities of hydrogen. However, current AEM water electrolysis systems predominantly rely on expensive precious metal catalysts such as platinum (Pt) and iridium (Ir), which drive up production costs and are prone to degradation.
To address these challenges, the KRISS Emerging Material Metrology Group has developed a base metal catalyst by introducing a small amount of ruthenium (Ru) into a molybdenum dioxide with nickel molybdenum (MoO2-Ni4Mo) structure. While molybdenum dioxide offers high electrical conductivity, its use in water electrolysis has been constrained due to its susceptibility to degradation in alkaline environments.
Breakthrough in Catalyst Durability and Performance
Through extensive structural analysis, researchers identified hydroxide ion (OH⁻) adsorption on molybdenum dioxide as the main cause of degradation. Based on these findings, they optimized the incorporation of ruthenium to enhance the stability of the catalyst. The resulting ruthenium nanoparticles, measuring less than 3 nanometers, form a thin layer on the catalyst’s surface, effectively preventing degradation and significantly improving durability.
Performance evaluations demonstrated that the new catalyst offers four times the durability and over six times the activity of existing commercial materials. Furthermore, when integrated with a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell, the catalyst achieved a remarkable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 22.8%, demonstrating strong compatibility with renewable energy sources.
Potential for Seawater-Based Hydrogen Production
In another promising development, the catalysts exhibited high activity and stability in saline water, enabling high-quality hydrogen production. This capability could significantly reduce costs associated with desalination, a major expense in current green hydrogen production methods.
Dr. Sun Hwa Park, a principal researcher at the KRISS Emerging Material Metrology Group, emphasized the potential impact of this breakthrough: “Currently, producing green hydrogen requires purified water, but using actual seawater could substantially lower costs. We plan to continue our research in this area.”
Collaborative Research and Publication
This research was supported by the KRISS MPI Lab Program and conducted in collaboration with Professor Ho Won Jang’s team at Seoul National University and Dr. Sung Mook Choi’s team at the Korea Institute of Materials Science. The findings were published in the July edition of Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy (Impact Factor: 20.2), a leading journal in the field of chemical engineering.
The development of this high-performance, cost-effective catalyst represents a significant leap toward making green hydrogen a viable and sustainable energy source for the future. With continued advancements, green hydrogen could play a pivotal role in the global transition to renewable energy.
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