Next-generation cost-effective and highly efficient water electrolyser for green hydrogen generation

R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis

Lead Organisation:
Curtin University

Partners:
Blackstone Minerals Limited

Status:
Active

Start date:
2022

Completion date:
2025

Key contacts:
Professor Zongping Shao: zongping.shao@curtin.edu.au

Funding:
Contract-based research

Project total cost:
Not applicable

Project summary description:
This project is focused on achieving high power-to-fuel conversion efficiency in membrane electrolyser cells. This may uncover cost-effective materials for highly efficient water splitting. Basic techniques include the synthesis of highly active electrode materials, the design of membrane electrode structures, electrolyser cell assembly, electrolyte feeding system, and performance optimization of single-cell and stack.

Special emphasis will be placed on the design of electrodes fabricated with non-precious electrocatalysts to completely replace the precious metals in electrolyser cells, seeking to break the barrier of cost reduction of this technology.

Low-cost and efficient catalysts for water electrolysis have been developed and tested in both three-electrode (fundamental research) and membrane electrode assembly (applied research) setups.

Related publications and key links:
Tang, J., Zhong, Y., Su, C., & Shao, Z. (2023). Silver Compositing Boosts Water Electrolysis Activity and Durability of RuO2 in a Proton‐Exchange‐Membrane Water Electrolyzer. Small Science, 3(9), 2300055. doi: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/smsc.202300055

Tang, J., Su, C., & Shao, Z. (2024). Advanced membrane‐based electrode engineering toward efficient and durable water electrolysis and cost‐effective seawater electrolysis in membrane electrolyzers. Exploration, 4(1), 20220112.

Higher degree studies supported:
One PhD student over 3.5 years is supported.

 

Reviewed: August 2024