Producing Hydrogen from Seawater

R&D Focus Areas:
Photochemical and photocatalytic processes, Separation materials and technologies

Lead Organisation:
UNSW Sydney

Partners:
Vecor Technologies Pty. Ltd.

Status:
Active

Start date:
February 2022

Completion date:
September 2026

Key contacts:
Dr. Yue Jiang: Yue.Jiang2@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Pramod Koshy: Koshy@unsw.edu.au
Professor Charles C. Sorrell: C.Sorrell@unsw.edu.au

Funding:
External:    Trailblazer Universities Program, Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE)
Industry:    Vecor Technologies Pty. Ltd.

Project total cost:
TRaCE: AUD$ 570,000 (cash)
Vecor Technologies: AUD$ 1,425,000 (cash)

Project summary description:
Current technologies for hydrogen production typically require the use of purified and desalinated water and result in explosive hydrogen + oxygen mixtures, which must be separated.  The UNSW-Vecor technology is developing the use of seawater as the hydrogen feedstock.  Particulate matter first is removed by coarse filtration.  This is followed by vibration-driven and light-assisted catalytic decomposition of seawater using modified metal oxides, e.g., barium titanate.  Band gap engineering of this stable oxide is applied to preclude the formation of oxygen and chlorine.  A basic photovoltaic and battery system is used to allow full-time operation.  The system is designed to be used in both urban and remote locations, fixed and mobile.

Related publications and key links:

Web Site
https://nemcatgroup.com

On-Line News
Trailblazer for Recycling & Clean Energy Producing hydrogen from seawater – Trailblazer for Recycling & Clean Energy

Publications

• Y. Jiang, C.Y. Toe, S.S. Mofarah, C. Cazorla, S.L.Y. Chang, Y. Yin, Q. Zhang, S. Lim, Y. Yao, R. Tian, Y. Wang, T. Zaman, H. Arandiyan, G.G. Andersson, J. Scott, P. Koshy, D. Want, and C.C. Sorrell, “Efficient Cocatalyst-Free Piezo-Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution of Defect BaTiO_3-x Nanoparticles from Seawater”, ACS Sust. Chem. Eng., 11 [8] 3370-3389 (2023).
• Y. Jiang, S. Zhou, S.S. Mofarah, R. Niu, Y. Sun, A. Rawal, H. Ma, K. Xue, X. Fang, C.Y. Toe, W.-F. Chen, Y.-S. Chen, J.M. Cairney, R. Rahman, Z. Chen, P. Koshy, D. Wang, and C.C. Sorrell, “Efficient and Stable Piezo-Photocatalytic Splitting of Water and Seawater by Interfacial Engineering of Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃/Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ Self-Generated Heterojunctions”, Nano Energy, 116, Paper 108830 {14 + 42 pp.} (2023).
• Y. Jiang, J. Zhang, H. Ma, S. Zhou, H.-Y. Lin, S.S. Mofarah, M. Lockery, T. Lu, H. Ren, X. Zheng, M. Guanwan, S. Huang, Y.-Ch. Huang, F. Zhuo, D. Ji, J.N. Hart, Y. Liu, J.M. Wu, M. Ashokkumar, D. Wang, P. Koshy, and C.C. Sorrell, “Sono-Piezo-Photosynthesis of Ethylene and Acetylene from Bioethanol under Ambient Conditions”, Adv. Funct. Mater., 35 [TBA] Paper 2425784 {16 + 32 pp.} (2025).
• Xue, Y. Jiang, S.S. Mofarah, E. Doustkah, S. Zhou, X. Zhen, S. Huang, D. Wang, C.C. Sorrell, and P. Koshy, “Composition-Driven Morphological Evolution of BaTiO₃ Nanowires for Efficient Piezocatalytic Hydrogen Production”, Chemosphere, 338, Paper 139337 {14 + 5 pp.} (2023).
• Y. Jiang, W.-F. Chen, H. Ma, H. Ren, S. Lim, X. Lu, G. Bahmanrokh, S.S. Mofarah, D. Wang, P. Koshy, and C.C. Sorrell, “Effect of Bi/Ti Ratio on (Na_0.5Bi_0.5)TiO₃/Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ Heterojunction Formation and Photocatalytic Performance”, J. Environ. Chem. Eng., 9 [6] Paper 106532 {26 + 4 pp.} (2022).
• Y. Jiang, S.S. Mofarah, P. Koshy, W.-F. Chen, X. Fang, X. Zheng, D. Wang, and C.C. Sorrell, “Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ Phase Relations: Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria in the Systems Bi₂O₃-TiO₂, Na₂O-TiO₂, and Na₂O-Bi₂O₃-TiO₂”, J. Europ. Ceram. Soc., 41 [14] 7005-7013 (2021).

Patents

• Y. Jiang, P. Koshy, and C.C. Sorrell, “Sodium Bismuth Titanate Catalyst”, PCT International Application No. AU2022/051254, 18 October 2022.
• Y. Jiang, P. Koshy, C.C. Sorrell, and D. Wang, “A Piezo Photocatalytic Process for the Production of Hydrogen from Water”, PCT International Application No. PCT/AU2023/050445, 26 May 2023.

Higher degree studies supported:
Seven students are supported – Ph.D. – 2, M.Phil. – 1, M.Sc.Tech. – 2, Honours – 2

 

April 2025