Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a new hydrogen production system that overcomes key challenges faced by current green hydrogen methods.
The team, led by Professor Jeung Ku Kang from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, created a self-powered hydrogen production system using a high-performance zinc-air battery.
This innovative approach minimizes fire risks and provides a more stable and efficient way to generate hydrogen. The findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Science.
Hydrogen (H₂) is a clean fuel with an energy density three times higher than fossil fuels like gasoline or diesel.
It’s also a key raw material for creating valuable chemicals and materials. However, most existing methods of producing hydrogen release carbon dioxide (CO₂), contributing to climate change.
To avoid this, green hydrogen can be produced by splitting water using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. But these sources are not always reliable due to changing weather and temperature, which lowers their efficiency for producing hydrogen.
To solve this problem, the KAIST researchers turned to zinc-air batteries. These batteries can generate enough voltage to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, but traditional designs rely on expensive metal catalysts.
Over time, these catalysts lose their effectiveness during repeated charging and discharging cycles.
Professor Kang’s team developed a new catalyst material called G-SHELL. This material uses a combination of tiny metal-organic framework particles grown on graphene oxide, a stable and conductive substance.
The G-SHELL catalyst supports three key chemical reactions needed for efficient hydrogen production:
Oxygen generation
Hydrogen generation
Oxygen reduction
The new zinc-air battery system shows a significant improvement in performance. The research team found that the G-SHELL catalyst provided five times the energy density (797 Wh/kg) of existing batteries and delivered a high power output. Even after many cycles of charging and discharging, the battery remained stable. Additionally, the use of a water-based electrolyte reduces the risk of fire, making the system much safer.
The new system is designed to link with a water-splitting process, which produces hydrogen by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. This setup makes it an eco-friendly and fire-safe alternative to other hydrogen production methods.
Professor Kang highlighted that the zinc-air battery-based system offers a simple, effective way to improve green hydrogen production. It works at low temperatures and with a long-lasting catalyst, solving many of the issues faced by traditional hydrogen production methods.
“This new system,” he said, “is a breakthrough that addresses the limitations of current green hydrogen production and offers a safe, efficient, and eco-friendly alternative.”
With the combination of high efficiency, safety, and stability, this zinc-air battery technology could play a key role in advancing green energy solutions in the future.
