An international research team led by the University of Bayreuth has unveiled a pioneering method for producing green hydrogen directly from seawater, marking a breakthrough in sustainable hydrogen technology. The findings have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Unlike conventional hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, green hydrogen is generated without emitting carbon dioxide. The most common production route is electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using clean electricity. However, electrolysis is energy intensive and requires substantial power inputs, prompting researchers to seek more efficient alternatives.

Using sunlight to split molecules

The Bayreuth-led team has demonstrated a photocatalytic process that uses sunlight instead of electricity to split water molecules. The process relies on light-active materials, known as photocatalysts, that absorb solar energy and drive the reaction. Although photocatalytic hydrogen production has long been considered promising, scalable and stable systems have remained elusive.

The breakthrough came from the team headed by Professor Dr Shoubhik Das, Chair of Organic Chemistry I at the University of Bayreuth. The researchers successfully developed a nickel-based photocatalyst capable of producing hydrogen directly from seawater under sunlight without the need for any sacrificial reagent or co-catalyst.

“Our research has produced the first nickel-based photocatalyst that can split seawater directly under sunlight—without any sacrificial reagent or co-catalyst. It achieves hydrogen production rates that surpass most single-component systems studied to date,” said Dr. Das.

In addition to its efficiency, the photocatalyst exhibits remarkable corrosion resistance. It remains stable despite exposure to chloride ions and other naturally occurring components of seawater, which have typically posed challenges for seawater-based hydrogen generation.

The discovery marks a significant milestone in advancing sustainable hydrogen technologies. By enabling direct, reagent-free hydrogen production from seawater using sunlight, the process offers a cleaner, more resource-efficient pathway for future energy systems.

The research contributes to the global transition toward carbon-free energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and highlighting the potential of photocatalytic innovation in accelerating the hydrogen economy.

Source: 

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/1187561/researchers-discover-new-pathways-to-green-hydrogen.html