Efficient Hydrogen Production Research Articles

Single-atom Pt supported on defective graphitic carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Single-atom Pt supported on defective graphitic carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Cu/Zn-bimetallic organic framework-derived RGO/CuO–ZnO Z-scheme heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Cu/Zn-bimetallic organic framework-derived RGO/CuO–ZnO Z-scheme heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

High-Density CuBi2O4 Photocathodes Using Well-Textured Buffer Layers and Their Unassisted Solar Hydrogen Production Performances.

Solar hydrogen production using photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells requires the selection of cost-effective materials with high photoactivity and durability. CuBi2O4 photocathodes possess an appropriate bandgap for efficient hydrogen production. However, their performance is limited by poor charge transport and interface voids formed due to the porous structure during annealing, which complicates the deposition of passivation overlayers. To address this, effective suppression of the porous structure in CuBi2O4 is essential. Here, the study proposes the strategic use of an Sb-Cu2O buffer layer with a uniform (111) crystal orientation prior to the electrodeposition of Cu-Bi-O. This buffer layer facilitates 2D film growth during electrodeposition, enhancing Cu supply via out-diffusion from the buffer during annealing. Moreover, the uniform orientation of the buffer layer promotes the crystallization of CuBi2O4, significantly improving charge transport efficiency. By incorporating an Al-ZnO/TiO2 overlayer, the study achieves a photocurrent of 2.56 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE and an onset potential of 1.04 VRHE, with excellent stability exceeding 60 hours. In a glycerol oxidation reaction coupled with hydrogen production, an unassisted PEC cell with a BiVO4 photoanode demonstrates the highest H2 production (750.5 µmol cm-2) among Cu-based ternary oxides, with 97% Faradaic efficiency over 20 hours while producing DHA, and formic acid.

Lattice coherency engineering trigger rapid charge transport at the heterointerface of Te/In2O3@MXene photocatalysts for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

The establishment of heterojunctions has been demonstrated as an effective method to improve the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production. Conventional heterojunctions usually have random orientation relationships, and heterointerfaces can hinder photogenerated carrier transport due to larger lattice mismatches, thus reducing the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In this study, a novel Te/In2O3@MXene lattice coherency heterojunction was prepared by leveraging the identical lattice spacing of In2O3 (222) and Te (021) crystal face. The lattice consistency facilitates enhanced photogenerated carrier transport rate between the heterostructure interface of In2O3 and Te. Furthermore, the incorporation of MXene, the electrons originating from Te 5p orbital achieve directional transfer in the heterojunction. This reduces the recombination of photogenerated electron - hole pairs and retains the photogenerated electrons with higher reducibility. The hydrogen production efficiency of Te/In2O3@MXene is 568.8μmol/h g-1, which is 24 times higher than that of pristine In2O3, and it remains 90% of its initial activity after six cycles. This study offers a novel approach to address the escalating carrier transfer resistance commonly observed in conventional heterojunctions.

Ru nanoclusters immobilized in N-doped porous carbon for efficient hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production and Zn–hydrazine battery

Ru nanoclusters immobilized in N-doped porous carbon for efficient hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production and Zn–hydrazine battery

Strain Engineering of Ru–Co2Ni Nanoalloy Encapsulated with Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Anion and Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

AbstractAlloying atomically dispersed noble metals with earth‐abundant transition metal nanoparticles (NPs) presents a promising approach to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis. However, the challenge remains of reducing the size of the NPs without sacrificing high activity and durability. In this study, Ru–Co2Ni nanoalloy particles (NAPs) encapsulated in nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) are introduced, forming a core‐shell electrocatalyst (Ru–Co2Ni@NCNT). This design leverages Ru site optimization, CNT density control, strain engineering, efficient water dissociation, and outstanding bubble release dynamics within the core‐shell structure. These factors significantly improve catalytic performance with low overpotentials of 35 and 57 mV overpotential in 1.0 m KOH and 0.5 m H2SO4 solutions, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that while Ru sites serve as active sites, they also modify the electronic structure of Co and Ni, optimizing their hydrogen adsorption energies and improving HER efficiency. The Ru–Co2Ni@NCNT catalyst is successfully integrated into both anion exchange membrane (AEM) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, demonstrating stable operation at 0.5 A cm−2 for 500 h, underscoring its potential for efficient and durable hydrogen production.

Optimized Pt–Co/BN Catalysts for Efficient NaBH4 Hydrolysis

The hydrolysis of sodium borohydride is a promising method for generating hydrogen, which can be released under controlled conditions using heterogeneous catalytic systems. Despite significant advancements in catalyst development, no single material meets the requirements for mobile applications. This limitation is primarily due to the suboptimal performance of catalysts in terms of hydrogen production efficiency and stability. To enhance the catalytic performance of sodium borohydride hydrolysis, a boron oxide‐coated Co–Pt/boron nitride (BN) nanocomposite material has been developed, leveraging the oxidative support–metal strong interaction. The results demonstrate that CO2 oxidation etching of the BN facilitates the migration of boron oxide to the Co–Pt nanoparticles, forming a structurally robust coating layer. This configuration exhibits a strong synergistic effect between Co and Pt, significantly enhancing catalytic hydrogen production efficiency. Furthermore, the boron oxide overlayer effectively stabilizes the catalyst structure by preventing metal component loss and the deposition of sodium borate on the metal surface. The surface BOx also modulates the electronic properties of the bimetallic active sites. Ultimately, the optimal 0.4%Pt–5%Co/BN catalyst achieves a high hydrogen generation rate of 8272 mL·min−1·gmetal−1 and turnover frequency of 668 min−1 at room temperature while retaining 90.1% of its initial intrinsic activity after ten cycles.

Life Cycle Assessment of Green Methanol Production Based on Multi-Seasonal Modeling of Hybrid Renewable Energy and Storage Systems

This study evaluates the environmental implications of green methanol production under seasonal energy variability through a dual-comparative analytical framework. The research employs ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) methodology to assess four seasonal renewable energy configurations (with varying solar–wind ratios across seasons) against conventional grid-based production, utilizing a hybrid battery storage system combining lithium-ion and vanadium redox flow technologies. The findings reveal significant environmental benefits, with seasonal renewable configurations achieving 24.38% to 28.26% reductions in global warming potential compared to conventional methods. Monte Carlo simulation (n = 20,000) confirms these improvements across all impact categories. Our process analysis identifies hydrogen production as the primary environmental impact contributor (74–94%), followed by carbon capture (5–13%) and methanol synthesis (0.5–4.5%). Water consumption impacts show seasonal variation, ranging from 16.55% in summer to 11.62% in winter. There is a strong positive correlation between hydrogen production efficiency and solar energy availability, suggesting that higher solar energy input contributes to improved production outcomes. This research provides a framework for optimizing sustainable methanol production through seasonal renewable energy integration, offering practical insights for industrial implementation while maintaining production stability through effective energy storage solutions.

Advanced Functional NiCo2S4@CoMo2S4 Heterojunction Couple as Electrode for Hydrogen Production via Energy-Saving Urea Oxidation.

The urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is characterized by a lower overpotential compared to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during electrolysis, which facilitates the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode. Charge distribution, which can be modulated by the introduction of a heterostructure, plays a key role in enhancing the adsorption and cleavage of chemical groups within urea molecules. Herein, a facile all-room temperature synthesis of functional heterojunction NiCo2S4/CoMo2S4 grown on carbon cloth (CC) is presented, and the as-prepared electrode served as a catalyst for simultaneous hydrogen evolution and urea oxidation reaction. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) study reveals spontaneous transfer of charge at the heterointerface of NiCo2S4/CoMo2S4, which triggers the formation of localized electrophilic/nucleophilic regions and facilitates the adsorption of electron donating/electron withdrawing group in urea molecules during the UOR. The NiCo2S4/CoMo2S4// NiCo2S4/CoMo2S4 electrode pair required only a cell voltage of 1.17 and 1.18V to deliver a current density of 10 and 100mAcm-2 respectively in urea electrolysis cell and display very good stability. Tests performed in real urine samples show similar catalytic performance to urea electrolytes, making the work one of the best transition metal-based catalysts for UOR applications, promising both efficient hydrogen production and urea decomposition.

Construction of Cu2MoS4/ZnO Heterostructures and Mechanism of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Constructing wide and narrow band gap heterogeneous semiconductors is a method to improve the activity of photocatalysts. In this paper, CMS/ZnO heterojunctions were prepared by solvothermal loading of ZnO particles on the surface of Cu2MoS4 nanosheets. The photocatalytic H2 precipitation rate is about 545 μmol·g-1·h-1, which is 6.8 times that of Cu2MoS4 and 3 times that of ZnO without any cocatalyst. After etching modification of CMS, the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency of the ECMS/ZnO heterojunction is further improved. Its hydrogen production efficiency reaches about 1115 μmol·g-1·h-1, which is 9 times that of ECMS and 6 times that of ZnO. The reasons are mainly attributed to the following two factors: (1) the formation of the ECMS/ZnO type-II-type heterojunction facilitates the effective separation of photogenerated electrons and holes; (2) the band structure of Cu2MoS4 was optimized by etching modification, which made the ECMS/ZnO heterojunction have lower interfacial charge transfer resistance and improved the photocatalytic hydrogen production activity of the heterojunction.

Solid-State Reaction Synthesis of CoSb2O6-Based Electrodes Towards Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acidic Electrolytes: Effects of Calcination Time and Temperature

Mitigating global warming necessitates transitioning from fossil fuels to alternative energy carriers like hydrogen. Efficient hydrogen production via electrocatalysis requires high-performance, stable anode materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to support the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode. Developing noble metal-free electrocatalysts is therefore crucial, particularly for acidic electrolytes, to avoid reliance on scarce and expensive metals such as Ir and Ru. This study investigates a low-cost, solvent-free solid-state synthesis of CoSb2O6, focusing on the influence of calcination time and temperature. Six samples were prepared and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and electrochemical techniques. A non-pure CoSb2O6 phase was observed across all samples. Electrochemical testing revealed good short-term stability; however, all samples exhibited Tafel slopes exceeding 200 mV dec−1 and overpotentials greater than 1 V. The sample calcined at 600 °C for 6 h showed the best performance, with the lowest Tafel slope and overpotential, attributed to its high CoSb2O6 content and maximized {110} facet exposure. This work highlights the role of calcination protocols in developing Co-based OER catalysts and offers insights for enhancing their electrocatalytic properties.

Copper-Doped NiOOH for the Electrocatalytic Conversion of Glycerol to Formate via the Inhibition of the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The combination of the electrocatalytic glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) with the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction serves to reduce the anodic overpotential, thereby facilitating the efficient production of hydrogen. However, the GOR is confined to a narrow potential range due to the competition of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at high potential. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a catalyst with a high Faraday efficiency of formate (FEFA) over a wide potential range. Herein, Cu-doped NiOOH catalysts were synthesized by electrodeposition to inhibit the competing OER during the GOR process, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at 1.278 V vs RHE, a FEFA over 70.36% within a broad potential range of 1.3 V vs RHE to 1.6 V vs RHE, and a maximum FEFA of 96.46% at 1.35 V vs RHE. In situ spectral studies and DFT calculations revealed that Cu doping slowed the *OH to *O step for the inhibition of the OER and enhanced glycerol adsorption to accelerate the GOR. A competitive reaction mechanism for boosting glycerol electro-oxidation to formate was proposed, presenting a feasible strategy for the highly selective production of electrocatalytic value-added chemicals and the sustainable production of hydrogen energy.

THE PREDICTION OF HYDROGEN EVOLUTION REACTION FROM DYNAMIC MAGNETIC FIELD ASSISTED WATER ELECTROLYSIS ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK

This study explores the prediction of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) performance in Dynamic Magnetic Field (DMF) assisted water electrolysis using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The integration of ANN models with experimental data from DMF-assisted electrolysis provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between magnetic fields and electrochemical processes. The results show significant enhancements in HER rates compared to conventional electrolysis, with static magnetic fields also contributing to performance improvements. The ANN models developed exhibit high accuracy in predicting HER performance under varying DMF rotational speeds, as evidenced by low Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and high R-squared values, demonstrating their strong predictive power and reliability. However, caution is advised regarding overfitting, and future research should focus on incorporating techniques like regularization and cross-validation to enhance model generalization. This study lays the foundation for further optimization of efficient hydrogen production technologies in the context of sustainable energy solutions.

Exploring Metal Oxides Nanostructures for Sustainable Hydrogen Evolution via Indoor Electrocatalytic Water Splitting

The widespread adoption of green hydrogen production plays a pivotal role in establishing a sustainable circular economy. A major challenge lies in the efficient production of hydrogen to meet the demands of commercial scale applications. Hydrogen production through water electrolysis is an effective method to utilize surplus renewable energy efficiently, offering advantages in energy conversion and storage, where catalysis or electrocatalysis plays a pivotal role. The development of active, cost effective, and stable catalysts or electrocatalysts is a critical prerequisite for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen production from water splitting for practical applications, which is primary focus of this review. On the one hand, precious metals are commonly utilized to investigate the two half-cell reactions namely the HER and OER. However, the use of precious metals such as Au, Ag, Pt, Ru, as electrocatalysts, is limited by their cost and less availability, hindering their practical application. In contrast, non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts are abundant, environmentally friendly, and low-cost, which demonstrating high electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic performance comparable to noble metals. Thus, these electrocatalysts have the potential to replace precious metals in the water electrolysis process. In this review, we present key fundamental insights into water electrolysis, which not only enables higher hydrogen production but is also cost-effective.

Recent developments in photo-fermentative hydrogen evolution: Fundamental biochemistry and influencing factors a review.

The global shift towards renewable energy sources highlights the urgent need for sustainable hydrogen production, with photo-fermentative hydrogen evolution (PFHP) emerging as a promising solution. This review addresses the challenges and opportunities in optimizing PFHP, specifically the role of photosynthetic bacteria (PBS) in utilizing sunlight for hydrogen production. We focus on the key factors influencing PFHP, including light intensity, reactor design, substrate selection, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, metal ions, temperature, pH, charge transfer and genetic engineering. Additionally, we explore recent advances in techniques such as immobilization, nanoparticles, biochar, and co-culturing to enhance hydrogen production efficiency. By synthesizing the latest research, this review provides new insights into improving PFHP processes, offering strategies for more efficient biohydrogen production. This work contributes to the development of sustainable hydrogen production technologies, advancing the potential for biohydrogen as a clean energy source.

Hydrogen Generation from the Hydrolysis of Diamond-Wire Sawing Silicon Waste Powder Vibration-Ground with KCl.

Diamond-wire sawing silicon waste (DSSW) derived from the silicon wafer sawing process may lead to resource waste and environmental issues if not properly utilized. This paper propounds a simple technique aimed at enhancing the efficiency of hydrogen production from DSSW. The hydrolysis reaction is found to become faster when DSSW is ground. Among the studied grinding agents, KCl has the best performance. The grinding duration and addition amount remarkably affect the final hydrogen yield and initial hydrogen generation rate (IHGR). Among all studied samples, DSSW-KCl 25 wt% ground for 3 min shows the best performance with a hydrogen yield of 86.1% and an IHGR of 399.37 mL min-1 (g DSSW)-1 within 650 s. The initial temperature is also found to have a significant influence on the hydrolysis of the DSSW-KCl mixture, and the reaction can proceed to 85% conversion in 100 s with an IHGR of 1383.6 mL min-1 (g DSSW)-1 at 338 K. The apparent activation energy for the hydrolysis reaction of the DSSW-KCl composite powder was found to be 45.62 kJ mol-1 by means of an Arrhenius plot. The rate-determining step for the rapid reaction of DSSW to produce hydrogen is chemical reaction control, while the slow reaction is controlled by diffusion.

Electrochemical upcycling strategy for polyethylene terephthalate plastic coupled with efficient hydrogen production

Electrochemical upcycling strategy for polyethylene terephthalate plastic coupled with efficient hydrogen production

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production through p-n heterojunction interface engineering using Prussian blue analogue-derived Co-Cu-P with graphdiyne (g-CnH2n-2) crystalline/amorphous

More efficient hydrogen production can be achieved by rationally designing heterojunction photocatalysts and constructing interactions between photocatalysts. Herein, The CoP/Cu3P (Co-Cu-P) nanocubes were designed using Prussian blue analogue (PBA) as a template through the calcination phosphating method. The novel crystalline-amorphous Co-Cu-P/GDY p-n heterostructures photocatalyst was prepared by a stir-assisted low-temperature water bath method. Under visible light irradiation, the hydrogen evolution efficiency of the Co-Cu-P/GDY-3 heterostructures reached 4790.0 μmol g-1 h-1, surpassing that of GDY (523.9 μmol g-1 h-1) and Co-Cu-P (2458.5 μmol g-1 h-1). The remarkable hydrogen evolution activity of the composite catalyst can be attributed to the presence of p-n heterojunction, while the crystalline-amorphous structure promotes efficient interfacial charge transfer. Additionally, the rough and porous nature of the Co-Cu-P/GDY heterostructures surface facilitates mass transfer and hydrogen diffusion during photocatalysis. The charge transfer pathway of the p-n heterojunction was confirmed through various characterizations, including photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB-XPS), density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and other relevant techniques. This study offers a fresh perspective on designing PBA derivatives with graphdiyne (GDY) to construct heterostructure photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic performance.

Harnessing enhanced solar efficiency for green hydrogen production: A comparative analysis of PV and PV-T systems

Harnessing enhanced solar efficiency for green hydrogen production: A comparative analysis of PV and PV-T systems

Construction of CoP/MnP/Cu3P heterojunction for efficient methanol oxidation-assisted seawater splitting

Methanol oxidation-assisted direct seawater electrolysis emerges as a potent technology for efficient hydrogen (H2) production alongside high-value chemicals such as formic acid and formaldehyde. However, the large-scale application of this...