Electrocatalysis for renewable hydrogen production
Image credit: A.W. Jensen et al., Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2020).
Electrolysers convert electrical energy into chemical energy, the latter being stored. Water electrolysis coupled with renewable energy sources allows direct conversion of clean electricity into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen molecules. Thus, water electrolysers enable the production of hydrogen with zero emissions. The energy efficiency of water electrolysers is to a large part determined by the oxidation of water, or the oxygen evolution reaction (OER): 2H2O → O2 + 4H+ + 4e-
Slow OER kinetics causes significant potential losses. In proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers, high loadings of precious metal electrocatalysts based on iridium are typically needed to minimise the overpotential, preventing their widespread utilisation. Our group investigates novel electrocatalyst materials with high activity and stability as well as electrolyte effects for the oxygen evolution reaction.
Key publications:
A.W. Jensen, G.W. Sievers, K.D. Jensen, J. Quinson, J.A. Arminio-Ravelo, V. Brüser, M. Arenz, M. Escudero-Escribano*, “Self-supported nanostructured iridium-based networks as highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution in acidic media”, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2020, 8, 1066. Invited for the themed collection “Emerging Investigators”.
D. Escalera-López, K.D. Jensen, N.V. Rees*, M. Escudero-Escribano*, “Electrochemically Fdecorated iridium electrodes with WS3-x toward improved oxygen evolution electrocatalyst stability in acidic electrolytes”, Advanced Sustainable Systems, 2021, 5, 2000284.
J.A. Arminio-Ravelo, J. Quinson, J. Kirkensgaard, M. Arenz, M. Escudero-Escribano*, “Synthesis of iridium nanocatalysts for water oxidation in acid: effect of the surfactant”, ChemCatChem, 2020, 12, 1282. Invited for the special issue “Young Researchers Series”.
J.A. Arminio-Ravelo, A.W. Jensen, K.D. Jensen, J. Quinson, M. Escudero-Escribano*, “Electrolyte effects on the electrocatalytic performance of iridium-based nanoparticles for oxygen evolution in rotating disc electrodes”, ChemPhysChem, 2019, 20, 2956.