Scientists have discovered that the use of microwaves can significantly speed up the production of clean and sustainable hydrogen.
As the search for sustainable energy sources is constantly evolving, an interdisciplinary team from POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), from South Korea, has made a discovery that could revolutionize the production of clean hydrogen.
Using microwave, researchers have overcome critical limitations of traditional methods by dramatically reducing the temperature and time required to generate hydrogen.
The results of this research were published as the back cover of the renowned Journal of Materials Chemistry A, representing an important milestone for the global energy transition.
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The challenge of producing clean hydrogen
With the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, clean hydrogen stands out as a promising alternative.
However, current methods face enormous challenges. Conventional thermochemical processes, based on the oxidation-reduction of metal oxides, require extremely high temperatures, reaching 1.500 °C.
This energy demand makes the process expensive, difficult to scale and environmentally questionable.
To overcome these challenges, POSTECH scientists explored a widely known energy source, but little used in industry: microwaves.
Commonly associated with cooking, microwaves can be used to conduct chemical reactions efficiently and quickly.
The innovative microwave solution
The research revealed that microwave energy can reduce the temperature required to produce hydrogen from gadolium-doped ceria (CeO2), a material widely used for this purpose.
While conventional methods require temperatures of 1.500°C, the POSTECH team managed to carry out the same process at less than 600°C, a reduction of more than 60%.
Additionally, microwave energy has replaced 75% of the heat energy normally required, making the process much more efficient and sustainable.
Another revolutionary point of this technology is the creation of “oxygen vacancies“, defects in the structure of the material essential for the splitting of water and the production of hydrogen.
Typically, these vacancies take hours to form at elevated temperatures. With the new approach, the same result was achieved in just a few minutes at temperatures below 600 ° C.
Benefits and impacts of this technology
The benefits of this approach are significant. Firstly, the drastic reduction in operating temperature makes the process more accessible and less costly.
Additionally, improved energy efficiency reduces the carbon footprint associated with hydrogen production, directly contributing to global sustainability goals.
According to Professor Hyungyu Jin, “This research has the potential to revolutionize the commercial viability of thermochemical hydrogen production technologies. It will also pave the way for the development of new materials optimized for microwave-driven chemical processes.".
Professor Gunsu Yun adds, highlighting that “the introduction of a new microwave-powered mechanism and overcoming the limitations of existing processes are major achievements, made possible by the close interdisciplinary collaboration of our team".
Future perspectives for the study
With experimental validation and support from thermodynamic models, the technology is ready to advance to industrial-scale testing.
The ability to produce hydrogen quickly, efficiently and affordably could accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy source in a variety of sectors, including transportation, industry and power generation.
For the next stages, it will be essential to expand studies on the application of this technology in different materials and operational conditions, ensuring its viability on a large scale.
Furthermore, incentive policies and investment in infrastructure are fundamental to consolidating clean hydrogen as a protagonist in the global energy transition.
Great news!
I hope that somehow the global oil cartel is broken, but what is happening in the US is proving the opposite.
Fantastic news, in the midst of so many problems that occur in the world. Go away ****!