The Iridium replacement article: New catalyst makes green hydrogen cheaper first appeared at the online magazine Basic Thinking. You can start the day well every morning via our newsletter update.
The production of green hydrogen is currently still expensive – especially through the use of the rare metal iridium. However, researchers have now found an Iridium replacement for catalysis, which can enable more favorable production of green hydrogen in the future.
Germany has ambitious goals in terms of energy transition. Green hydrogen also plays a crucial role in this, because it can make important areas to decarbonization.
By 2030, according to the National hydrogen strategy A total of ten gigawatts of electrolysis capacities for the production of green hydrogen are created in Germany. For comparison: It is estimated there are currently capacities of only 5.2 gigawatts worldwide.
So far, the catalysis of hydrogen has been expensive, including through the use of the rare metal iridium. Researchers at Northwestern University But have now found a way to replace this metal and thus significantly reduce the production costs of green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen without iridium
Iridium is one of the rarest metals in the world and even more valuable than gold. Because it cannot be broken down directly, but usually only falls as a by -product when reducing platinum.
However, it is currently being used in the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis. In this process, water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. Iridium is used as a catalyst because it is particularly stable and powerful.
But an ounce of iridium costs around $ 5,000 and the stock is also limited. “There is not enough iridium in the world to meet our forecast needs,” explains Ted Sargent, scientist at Northwestern University. “When we think about splitting water to create alternative forms of energy, there is not enough iridium from a purely supply -technical point of view.”
For decades, researchers worldwide have been looking for Iridium alternatives. The researchers at Northwestern University have now made a breakthrough.
The so -called megab library of the university was used. This contains millions of uniquely designed nanoparticles on a tiny chip, which means that a variety of material combinations can be tested in the shortest possible time. “We have developed the most powerful synthesis tool in the world with which chemists and material scientists can search for the enormous number of available combinations to find important materials,” explains Professor Chad A. Mirkin, main author of the study, the Megab library.
New material can replace iridium in hydrogen electrolysis
For their investigation, the researchers have tested four plenty of existing and inexpensive metals on earth, which are also known for their catalytic performance. With the help of the megab library, 156 million particles, each of which were consisted of different combinations of ruthenium, cobalt, manganese and chrome.
For the first time, we were not only able to screen catalysts quickly, but also found that the best catalysts work well on an enlarged scale.
The scientists were able to determine a new combination of all four metals. The result is called RU52CO3MN9CR6 oxide and “actually has a slightly higher activity than iridium and excellent stability,” said Mirkin. “This is rare because ruthenium is often less stable. But the other elements stabilize ruthenium in the composition.”
Mirkin now wants to further expand material research with the megab library. “We will search for all kinds of materials for batteries, fusion and more,” explains the scientist.
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The Iridium replacement article: New catalyst makes green hydrogen cheaper first appeared on basic thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard Or subscribe to our update newsletter.
As a tech industry expert, I am thrilled to hear about the development of a new catalyst that can make green hydrogen production cheaper. Iridium is a rare and expensive metal that is currently used as a catalyst in the production of green hydrogen, which has hindered the widespread adoption of this clean energy source.
By finding a more affordable alternative to iridium, researchers have taken a significant step towards making green hydrogen more accessible and cost-effective. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the energy industry and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.
I am excited to see how this new catalyst will be implemented in commercial applications and how it will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. The tech industry plays a crucial role in driving innovation and progress towards a cleaner, greener world, and this development is a great example of that.
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