The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen
Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen.
Hydrogen holds great promise as an energy source, but the production of hydrogen from water electrolysis – freeing hydrogen from water with electricity – currently relies in large part on the use of expensive platinum catalysts. The new research shows that MoS2 atomically thin films are also effective catalysts for hydrogen production and – while not as efficient as platinum – are relatively inexpensive. (A Q&A with Cao on how this research differs from earlier studies of other catalysts for hydrogen production can be found on NC State’s research blog.)
“We found that the thickness of the thin film is very important,” says Dr. Linyou Cao, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and senior author of a paper describing the work. “A thin film consisting of a single layer of atoms was the most efficient, with every additional layer of atoms making the catalytic performance approximately five times worse.”
The effect of the thin films’ thickness came as a surprise to researchers, because it has long been thought that catalysis normally takes place along the edges of the material. Because thin films have very little ‘edge,’ conventional wisdom held that thin films were essentially catalytically inactive.
But the researchers discovered that a material’s thickness is important because the thinner the MoS2 thin film is, the more conductive it becomes – and the more conductive it becomes, the more effective it is as a catalyst.
“The focus has been on creating catalysts with a large ‘edge’ side,” Cao says. “Our work indicates that researchers may want to pay more attention to a catalyst’s conductivity.”
Cao developed the technique for creating high-quality MoS2 thin films at the atomic scale in 2013. The current production of hydrogen from the atomically thin film is powered by electricity. His team is working to develop a solar-powered water-splitting device that uses the MoS2 thin films to create hydrogen.
The Latest on: Cheap Hydrogen
via Google News
The Latest on: Cheap Hydrogen
- NextEra unveils 'mad' plan to develop 16GW of hydrogen power stations in Floridaon June 20, 2022 at 8:09 am
“It seems a bit mad.” “This project appears to be about electricity storage,” he added. “Capture cheap electricity off peak, store it as hydrogen and then sell it back as electricity on peak. So the ...
- Markets bring Italy’s hydrogen IPO back to earthon June 20, 2022 at 2:27 am
De Nora’s bold IPO ambitions just took a cold shower. The Italian group of hydrogen components, electrodes and water treatments has set the price for its planned market listing at between 2.7 billion ...
- Hexagon Purus Receives Follow-On Order For Hydrogen Distribution Systems From PAK PCE BIOPALIWA I WODÓRon June 15, 2022 at 11:13 pm
“Hydrogen is gathering strong momentum as a ... Polsat Plus Group wants to provide Poles with cheap and clean energy and support Poland's aim to transform its energy sector towards zero- and ...
- Hexagon Purus receives follow-on order for hydrogen distribution systems from PAK PCE BIOPALIWA I WODÓRon June 15, 2022 at 10:00 pm
Hexagon Purus, through its wholly owned subsidiary Wystrach GmbH (“Wystrach”), has received a follow-on order for hydrogen distribution systems from PAK PCE BIOPALIWA I WODÓR (“PAC PCE”), a company ...
- BP's $36 Billion Project Highlights Massive Green Hydrogen Hubson June 15, 2022 at 3:29 am
BP’s acquisition of a stake and lead role in a $36 billion green hydrogen development in Western Australia is casting a spotlight on a slew of ambitious projects around the world that are promising to ...
- Without Cheap Russian Energy, Some European Factories Are Shutting Downon June 15, 2022 at 2:43 am
For decades, European industry relied on Russia to supply low-cost oil and natural gas that kept the continent's factories humming.
- What Is Holding The Hydrogen Boom Back?on June 14, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Hydrogen is booming as the world races to diversify away from fossil fuels, but complex deals are not making it easy for financiers ...
- H2 Clipper Achieves Major Milestone with Simulated Wind Tunnel Testing of Its Hydrogen-Powered “Pipeline-In-The-Sky™” Airshipon June 14, 2022 at 3:10 am
offering economic and logistical advantages over other methods of bulk delivery of hydrogen. By transporting cheap clean power produced from renewable sources to markets with high energy demand, H2 ...
- Green Hydrogen — Why Cheaper Production Of This Alternative Fuel Is High On Indian Govt Agendaon June 11, 2022 at 11:37 pm
It will be difficult to speed up India's transition to renewables“unless cheap finance is available ... Unlike petrol or diesel, hydrogen releases no carbon emissions upon combustion.
- Green hydrogen — why cheaper production of this alternative fuel is high on govt agendaon June 9, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Unlike petrol or diesel, hydrogen releases no carbon emissions upon combustion. Hydrogen produced through the electrolysis of water is called green hydrogen.
via Bing News