Scientists Discover Method for Restoring Catalyst Performance New Alloy Catalysts Boost Hydrogen Production from Water . Credit: techxplore.com

A group of scientists has created a method to enhance the effectiveness and longevity of electrodes by using bifunctional catalysts made from platinum-nickel alloys with an octahedral structure, capable of both generating and reducing oxygen. The findings have been published in Advanced Energy Materials.

Bifunctional catalysts are a cutting-edge type of catalyst that can simultaneously produce hydrogen and oxygen from water using a single material. Unlike current electrochemical systems, which rely on separate catalysts for each electrode, this technology has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of hydrogen production. By streamlining the production process, these catalysts could also increase the overall efficiency of electrochemical energy conversion technologies.

However, one major drawback of bifunctional catalysts is their tendency to lose performance after repeated electrochemical reactions. This is due to structural changes in the electrode material. In order to make these catalysts commercially viable, it is crucial to find a way to maintain their structure for extended periods of time.

To address this issue, the team of researchers developed a method for synthesizing alloy catalysts with different structures by combining platinum and nickel, which are known for their superior performance in oxygen reduction and generation reactions, respectively. The team discovered that the most active interaction between platinum and nickel occurred in the octahedral structure, resulting in a more than two-fold increase in performance compared to platinum and nickel alone.

Through their experiments, the scientists identified platinum oxide as the culprit behind the decrease in performance after repeated reactions. To combat this, they developed a structure restoration technique that reduces platinum oxide back to platinum. This was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy, and in larger-scale reactor tests, the team successfully restored the catalyst's shape and doubled its run time.

The team's bifunctional catalysts and structure recovery method have the potential to accelerate the commercialization of unitized renewable fuel cells (URFCs) by replacing separate catalysts for oxygen evolution and reduction reactions with a single, more efficient catalyst. By lowering the cost of production through the use of cheaper catalysts and maintaining performance, this technology could contribute to the widespread adoption of electrochemical systems like URFCs and ultimately aid in achieving carbon neutrality. The research was a collaboration between Dr. Hyung-Suk Oh and Dr. Woong-Hee Lee of the Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and POSTECH and Yonsei University.

According to Dr. Oh, the lead researcher at KIST, this breakthrough in catalyst reversibility and durability has opened up new possibilities for the advancement of bifunctional catalysts, which are crucial for electrochemical energy conversion systems. He believes that this technology will play a significant role in the future commercialization and carbon neutrality of systems like URFCs.

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