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USP research develops more efficient technologies to produce green hydrogen, strengthening the energy transition and sustainable industry.
Two studies developed at the Institute of Physics of São Carlos (IFSC/USP) may contribute to accelerating the production of clean hydrogen and strengthening the global energy transition. The studies used magnetron sputtering technology to create more efficient catalytic structures, capable of harnessing solar energy to generate sustainable fuel.
The advances, published on the institution’s website on June 16, 2026, reinforce the potential of green hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels and highlight the role of Brazilian scientists in developing technologies aimed at decarbonizing the economy, expanding industrial competitiveness, and reducing carbon emissions.
Brazilian scientists use a single technology to create two energy solutions
Despite investigating different materials, the two studies started from the same technological base. The magnetron sputtering technique allowed for the deposition of catalysts with high structural control, something considered essential to increase the efficiency of the chemical processes involved in the production of clean hydrogen.
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Advancement in renewable energy: A R$ 150 million project launched by Petrobras and Finep aims to create state-of-the-art electrolyzers for green hydrogen, strengthening national research and preparing Brazil to compete in a billion-dollar energy market.
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Illiterate or semi-literate grandmothers were trained to repair solar systems, open rural workshops, and light up homes that still depended on kerosene.
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The world has bet on green hydrogen as the fuel of the future, but now faces the side effect: producing 1 kilogram requires about 9 liters of ultrapure water, and the largest projects on the planet are precisely in the driest regions of the Earth, where water is already scarce for people.
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Africa has about 500,000 cell towers and most still burn diesel to operate, while companies rush to cover antennas with solar energy and avoid signal blackouts.
The differential of the research lies precisely in the versatility of the technology. While one project focused on photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting, the other used isolated atoms to create highly active catalysts aimed at the photocatalytic production of green hydrogen.
The result shows that the same technological platform can generate distinct solutions for one of today’s greatest challenges: producing clean energy efficiently and economically viable.
How clean hydrogen can accelerate the global energy transition
Clean hydrogen is being pointed out by experts as one of the most important tools to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels.
When produced from water and solar energy, the fuel can be used without generating direct carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. In fuel cells or industrial applications, the main byproduct is water vapor.
This characteristic makes green hydrogen considered strategic for sectors facing difficulties in reducing emissions.
Among the segments with the greatest potential for use are:
- Steel industry;
- Fertilizer production;
- Fuel refining;
- Heavy cargo transportation;
- Long-term energy generation.
With the expansion of renewable energy in different countries, there is also growing interest in technologies capable of making hydrogen economically competitive.
First study improves solar energy conversion efficiency
One of the studies conducted by Brazilian scientists aimed to solve a known limitation of photoelectrochemical water splitting: the low efficiency of photoanodes responsible for the oxygen evolution reaction.
To achieve this, the researchers produced thin films of bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) and modified their surface with cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄).
The combination favored the separation of electric charges generated by sunlight and reduced energy losses caused by the recombination of electrons and holes.
According to the published results, there was a significant increase in photocurrent and improvement in the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy stored in clean hydrogen.
Green hydrogen produced with isolated atoms achieves superior performance
The second study explored an even more sophisticated approach to materials engineering.
Using magnetron sputtering again, the researchers deposited individual atoms of copper and platinum on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), creating highly active catalytic centers.
The strategy allowed for maximizing the use of platinum, a metal of high commercial value, reducing the amount needed for the process.
The results drew attention because the production of green hydrogen was described as hundreds of times superior to that observed in the unmodified material.
Besides the efficiency gain, the technique opens up possibilities for the development of more economical solutions in the future.
Renewable energy gains support with advances in nanotechnology
The two studies highlight a growing trend in modern science: the use of nanotechnology to control materials at extremely reduced scales.
In the case of the USP studies, the technology allowed for manipulating structures ranging from thin films to isolated atoms.
This control capability is important because small changes in the structure of materials can lead to significant differences in the performance of catalysts.
For the Brazilian scientists involved in the projects, this approach can accelerate the creation of new generations of devices aimed at the sustainable production of renewable energy.
Brazil has favorable conditions to lead clean hydrogen production
In addition to technological advances, the studies reinforce a strategic opportunity for Brazil.
The country has high solar incidence in much of its territory and an electricity matrix strongly based on renewable energy, factors considered important for the competitive production of green hydrogen.
This scenario can favor investments and boost new businesses linked to the low-carbon economy.
Among the potential benefits are:
- Greater energy security;
- Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels;
- Attraction of industrial investments;
- Generation of qualified jobs;
- Expansion of international competitiveness.
With the growing global demand for sustainable solutions, clean hydrogen can become a new economic frontier for the country.
Technology already used by the industry brings research and market closer
One of the most relevant aspects of the studies is that magnetron sputtering is not an experimental technology limited to laboratories.
The method is already widely used in the manufacture of semiconductors, electronic screens, industrial coatings, and various high-tech products.
According to Professor Renato Vitalino Gonçalves, coordinator of the research at IFSC/USP, this characteristic significantly increases the potential for practical application of the results obtained.
In the researcher’s assessment, the possibility of producing both photoactive thin films and catalysts formed by isolated atoms using the same technology represents an important differential for future industrial applications.
Scientific collaboration strengthens research on energy transition
The advances achieved were not only the result of the development of new materials.
The projects involved undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and national and international collaborators.
Renato Vitalino Gonçalves highlights that the integration between different areas of knowledge was fundamental to achieving the presented results.
The researcher also acknowledges the importance of the institutional support received through USP, FAPESP, CNPq, and CEPID CEMol, which contributed to the formation of specialized teams and the consolidation of the scientific infrastructure necessary for the studies.
A relevant step towards a low-carbon economy
The research developed at IFSC/USP shows how the combination of materials science, solar energy, and technological innovation can generate concrete advances for the production of clean hydrogen.
By increasing the efficiency of processes and demonstrating possibilities for industrial-scale application, the studies strengthen the role of green hydrogen within the global energy transition.
More than laboratory discoveries, the results point to ways to reduce emissions, stimulate renewable energy, and create new economic opportunities in a scenario increasingly focused on sustainability.
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