New catalyst could enable safer electrolyzers for clean hydrogen production

Hydrogen could serve as a clean alternative to fossil fuels because, when used as a fuel, it produces water vapor instead of carbon dioxide (CO2). This cleaner fuel has proved particularly promising for the creation of so-called fuel cells, energy storage devices that could power heavy-duty vehicles, airplanes, trains and energy-intensive manufacturing machinery.

The leading approach for the scalable production of clean hydrogen relies on electrolyzers, electrochemical devices that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Some of the most promising electrolyzers developed so far are so-called liquid alkaline water electrolyzers (LAWEs), devices containing a liquid alkaline solution that can facilitate the movement of charged particles (i.e., ions) between the two electrodes where the desired chemical reactions occur.