Self-powered hydrogen production system uses zinc-air battery to minimize fire risk

Korea Superior Institute of Science and Expertise (KAIST) researchers have developed a brand new hydrogen manufacturing system that may overcome the restrictions of present inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing. It’s anticipated that steady hydrogen manufacturing shall be attainable by using a water-splitting system utilizing a water-soluble electrolyte and blocking the chance of fireplace.

Professor Jeung Ku Kang’s analysis staff within the Division of Supplies Science and Engineering developed a self-powered hydrogen production system based mostly on a high-performance zinc-air battery. The findings are published within the journal Superior Science.

Hydrogen (H₂) is a uncooked materials for the synthesis of excessive value-added supplies and is attracting consideration as a clear gasoline with an power density (142 MJ/kg) that’s 3 times increased than that of current fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel, and many others.). Nonetheless, most present hydrogen manufacturing strategies have the issue of emitting carbon dioxide (CO₂).

As well as, inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing could be executed by splitting water utilizing renewable energy sources akin to solar cells and wind power as the facility supply, however renewable energy-based energy sources present low water splitting effectivity as a result of irregular energy technology as a result of temperature, climate, and many others.

To beat this, air cells that may emit adequate voltage (1.23 V or increased) for hydrogen manufacturing by way of water splitting are attracting consideration as an influence supply, however valuable metallic catalysts should be used to realize adequate capability, and there’s a limitation that the efficiency of the catalyst materials quickly deteriorates throughout long-term charging and discharging.

Subsequently, it’s important to develop a catalyst that’s efficient for water splitting reactions (oxygen technology, hydrogen technology) and a steady materials for repeated cost and discharge reactions (oxygen discount, oxygen technology) of zinc-air battery electrodes.

Accordingly, Professor Kang’s analysis staff proposed a technique for synthesizing a non-precious metallic catalyst materials (G-SHELL) that’s efficient for all three completely different catalytic reactions (oxygen generation-hydrogen generation-oxygen discount) by using a nano-sized metal-organic framework grown on graphene oxide.

The analysis staff confirmed that the developed catalyst materials was composed of the air electrode materials of the air battery, and that it had an power density (797 Wh/kg) that was about 5 occasions increased than that of current batteries, excessive output traits (275.8 mW/cm²), and that it might function stably for a very long time even below repeated charging and discharging circumstances.

As well as, the zinc-air battery, which is operated by a water-soluble electrolyte and is protected from the chance of fireplace, is anticipated to be utilized as an eco-friendly technique for hydrogen manufacturing by linking it with a water electrolysis system as a next-generation power storage machine.

Professor Kang stated, “The zinc-air battery-based self-generation hydrogen production system, which was implemented by developing a catalyst material with high activity and lifespan in three different electrochemical catalytic reactions at low temperatures and in a simple manner, will be a new breakthrough that can overcome the limitations of current green hydrogen production.”