Researchers from the University of Adelaide have made progress in the race to make the widespread use of intermittent renewable energy a reality by improving the efficiency of iridium-based catalysts. The experts have found a way to increase the efficiency of an iridium oxide catalyst by 5-12% through a lattice-water-assisted mechanism that arranges water molecules in a specific pattern. The approach boosts energy output while consuming less energy.
The use of iridium-based electrocatalysts is key for splitting water using proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) to generate green hydrogen, as iridium can withstand the harsh acidic conditions that occur during the reaction. However, commercial iridium oxide catalysts have struggled to achieve high activity and stability at the same time in PEMWE, making the technique less economically viable.
According to Associate Professor Yao Zheng, ARC Future Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide, the lattice-water-assisted oxygen exchange mechanism not only shows the possibility of higher efficiency and stability in a proton exchange membrane water electrolyser, but it also offers new ideas for modifying the oxygen exchange mechanism for high-performance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst design.
Iridium is one of the rarest elements on Earth, found uncombined in nature in sediments deposited by rivers and commercially recovered as a by-product of nickel refining. As the global output of iridium is limited, it is crucial to decrease the amount used in catalysts while maintaining their efficiency. The researchers’ findings suggest that the amount of iridium needed can be reduced, thereby decreasing the cost of producing green hydrogen efficiently.
Using renewable electricity is one of the most attractive solutions to producing green hydrogen, especially using the PEMWE technique, which can be operated with fast response and high current density. Hydrogen is considered the low-emission fuel of the future, and with cheaper green hydrogen, a carbon-neutral society could be built as soon as possible, and related climate problems could be efficiently decreased.
The University of Adelaide’s new research offers significant progress in the drive toward more efficient and sustainable energy. The lattice-water-assisted mechanism developed by the researchers could lead to a reduction in the amount of iridium required for catalysts, thereby lowering production costs and making green hydrogen more economically viable. This development could foster the transition to a carbon-neutral society and help combat climate change.
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