Korean Research Team Makes Breakthrough in Green Hydrogen Production Catalyst
Key Ideas
- Korean researchers at KIST developed a water electrolysis catalyst reducing iridium usage to 1/20, significantly cutting costs in green hydrogen production.
- The catalyst enhances performance by 1.5 times and durability by eight times, offering a more efficient and cost-effective solution.
- The breakthrough addresses the high cost of iridium catalysts, a major obstacle in large-scale water electrolysis facilities for green hydrogen production.
A research team at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has made notable progress in advancing the era of green hydrogen production. By significantly reducing the use of expensive iridium in a water electrolysis catalyst, the team led by Kim Myung-geun and Yoo Seong-jong has achieved a breakthrough that could revolutionize the industry. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources without carbon emissions, is crucial for sustainable energy transition. The high cost of iridium catalysts has been a challenge due to their superior performance in water electrolysis. With the new catalyst developed by KIST, which outperforms the previous one even with reduced iridium usage, the efficiency and durability of hydrogen production are substantially improved. This development is poised to lower hydrogen production costs and accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen technologies globally, offering a promising solution to the challenges faced by the industry.