Korean scientists have created a new composite catalyst of nickel and cobalt used in the production of turquoise hydrogen, leading to greater hydrogen production yields at lower energy expenses. This could help make turquoise hydrogen a viable clean energy source for the future.
Ironically, hydrogen is a colorless gas, but there is a whole color spectrum behind hydrogen production methods. Green hydrogen is the cleanest, produced through electrolysis, which splits water molecules using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or hydropower, as National Grid explains.
Blue hydrogen is produced using natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming, which produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Blue hydrogen isn't entirely clean, as it produces carbon dioxide — a gas that, in excess, traps heat and raises the temperature of the planet to dangerous levels.
Turquoise hydrogen falls somewhere between green and blue. Like blue hydrogen, turquoise hydrogen is also produced with natural gas, but the production process involves splitting methane gas at high — but more manageable — temperatures (around 900 degrees Celsius or 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit), per Tech Xplore. The process splits methane into hydrogen and carbon, but the temperature is "low" enough to keep carbon in its solid state, as opposed to its gas form.
Traditional methods require generating high temperatures — which uses significant energy — to produce turquoise hydrogen. For this reason, turquoise hydrogen has not been sustainable to produce or commercialize.
The new nickel-cobalt composite catalyst, developed by Dr. Woohyun Kim's hydrogen research team at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, lowers the temperature (and energy) required to produce turquoise hydrogen — by 300 degrees Celsius (540 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Interesting Engineering.
Compared to existing catalyst types — nickel- or iron-only catalysts — the new composite catalyst "demonstrated over 50% higher hydrogen productivity," per Tech Xplore. The nickel-cobalt catalyst maintained "its initial activity for approximately 150 minutes," compared to 90 minutes for existing catalyst types, extending activity duration by 60%.
"This research demonstrates a groundbreaking outcome," Dr. Kim said, per Tech Xplore.
This catalyst development makes turquoise hydrogen production more feasible, which could allow companies, cities, and governments of all levels to save money when investing in hydrogen production and clean energy sources.
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Hydrogen has a strong potential to power our future while protecting the planet's health.
One apartment complex in Ulsan, South Korea, is powering 437 units completely from hydrogen fuel cells, which has helped lower electric bills for renters by 30%-40%. The trucking industry is looking to transition to hydrogen for a cleaner and cheaper way to fuel transport.
Researchers at the University of Illinois, Chicago, developed a method to make hydrogen fuel from sun and biowaste. Hysata, an Australian startup, devised a cell that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, mimicking how trees absorb water from the ground.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kim's team is making strides to bring about turquoise hydrogen in a more affordable yet efficient and productive way.
"We plan to further research mass-production technology utilizing the developed catalyst, conduct performance evaluations, and secure core material technology and reaction system design capabilities," Dr. Kim said, per Tech Xplore.
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