Scientists have developed an improved way to produce hydrogen from water using electricity. The technology allows doubling fuel yield and reducing energy costs by almost 40%.
Researchers have presented a new electrochemical method that makes hydrogen production more efficient and less energy-intensive. In a standard electrolysis setup, a significant portion of the energy is spent producing oxygen, which reduces overall efficiency and increases production costs. The new technique solves this problem by changing the reaction on one of the electrodes.
Scientists added a simple organic compound and a special copper catalyst with an admixture of chromium to the system. As a result, instead of oxygen, hydrogen is additionally formed at one of the reaction stages. This allows you to immediately obtain twice as much useful product in one operating cycle of the installation.
Experiments have shown that the reactions occur at a voltage of about 0.4 volts—about one volt lower than traditional electrolysis. Due to this, the total energy consumption is reduced by up to 40%. In addition to hydrogen, a by-product is formed that can be used as a raw material for the production of bioplastics and other chemical materials.
According to the study’s authors, hydrogen remains one of the most sought-after chemical products in the world. It is used in the production of fertilizers, in fuel cells and as an energy source. Today, most hydrogen is produced from natural gas, which requires combustion fossil fuel and is accompanied by carbon dioxide emissions.
Water electrolysis is considered a greener alternative, but its high cost and energy consumption limit large-scale implementation. New technology could make green hydrogen more accessible to industry, especially using cheap organics derived from plant materials and waste.
Scientists note that the method requires improvement before industrial use. In particular, it is necessary to improve the stability of the catalyst so that it can operate for thousands of hours without loss of efficiency.
The development of a new electrolysis method opens up prospects for cheaper and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. With further improvement, the technology could play an important role in the energy and chemical industries.
Source: Live Science
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