Scientist realizes cheaper hydrogen generation

By Yoon Sung-won

Korean researchers have developed technology that enables cheaper mass-production of hydrogen, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) said Thursday.

As many scientists worldwide who are working to come up with a better way to use the eco-friendly hydrogen, the new scientific achievement is expected to expedite the commercialization of hydrogen energy for ordinary uses.

According to KIST, a team of researchers led by chemical and biological engineer Yoo Sung-jon has succeeded in developing a more durable and effective catalyst made of a high crystalline nickel phosphide nanowire compound for the hydrogen generation process through water dissociation. Compared to the existing catalysts made of rare materials, the new catalyst is dramatically cheaper and yet more durable, the institute said.

“The commercialization of technology that can change water into chemical energy sources such as hydrogen has increasingly become an important issue amid rising attention on clean energy sources for the future,” Yoo said. “In this backdrop, the latest research achievement has great meaning in speeding up the commercialization of hydrogen.”

Hydrogen has been considered one of the most promising next-generation energy sources not just because it is eco-friendly but also its supply is common and limitless. However, it still has limitations in being used commercially because it needs more advanced miniaturizing technology at its generation facilities. Another important problem has been that catalysts used to generate hydrogen have been made of expensive materials such as iridium, ruthenium and platinum. In addition to its high price, catalysts made of platinum showed low durability.

Yoo earned his PhD in chemical and biological engineering at Seoul National University in 2009. He moved to KIST for his postdoctoral research, synthesizing diverse advanced compounds and materials ranging from carbon-supported platinum alloys, core-shell nano-particles and platinum-free nano-particles.

In 2012, the scientist began an independent career as a senior researcher at the Fuel Cell Research Center, which is an affiliate of KIST.

Yoo said his current interests are batteries, including the influence of surface chemistry of metal nano-particles on catalytic activities and stability, design principles for oxygen reduction activity on oxide catalysts for fuel cells, and catalytic activity trends of oxygen reduction for alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cell.