20 Times Less Expensive

A Korean research team has developed a water-splitting catalyst that is 20 times less expensive, six times more productive and at least four times more durable.

The Institute for Basic Science announced on Nov. 24 that its research team developed a water-splitting catalyst that is 20 times less expensive, six times more productive and at least four times more durable.

At present, electrolysis is the only hydrogen production method that causes no carbon dioxide emissions. During the course of H2O splitting into H2 and O2, however, oxygen generation has been very slow to slow down the overall process and affect productivity. Although RuO2 and IrO2 have been used for faster production, the prices per kilogram are over US$70,000 and their durability is less than 24 hours.

The research team developed the catalyst by adding oxygen atoms to a cobalt-iron alloy and a trace amount of ruthenium. The team confirmed that the catalyst is durable for at least 100 hours and capable of generating oxygen with a much lower voltage.

“The current density increases along with the oxygen generation rate and existing RuO2 catalysts require 298 millivolt to get a current density of 10 milliampere per square centimeter,” the team explained, adding, “Our catalyst, however, requires 180 millivolt and this means water can be split with a lower voltage and the catalyst is more energy-efficient.”

Details of the research are available in the Nov. 4 online edition of Energy & Environmental Science.

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