Researchers in South Korea, led by Dr. Seung Ju Han at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, have developed a pioneering liquid metal catalyst incorporating selenium to advance turquoise hydrogen production. This innovative approach generates hydrogen from methane pyrolysis, producing solid carbon as a byproduct without emitting carbon dioxide. The use of selenium-doped molten metal catalysts (NiBi, CuBi) significantly enhances methane pyrolysis efficiency, offering high methane conversion rates and stable catalyst performance. The technology overcomes challenges faced by traditional methods, such as high temperature requirements and catalyst deactivation. By introducing a ternary molten metal catalyst with selenium, the research team improves catalyst activity, controls bubble formation, and enables efficient separation of carbon byproducts. Selenium reduces surface tension, enhances reactant-catalyst contact area, lowers activation energy, and boosts catalytic performance. Notably, the newly developed selenium-promoted ternary catalysts (NiBiSe, CuBiSe) achieve substantial methane-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency enhancements, with the NiBiSe catalyst showing exceptional long-term stability. According to the researchers, this breakthrough has the potential to accelerate the commercialization of clean hydrogen production and contribute significantly to carbon neutrality efforts. Future research will focus on enhancing process efficiency with a target for commercial deployment by 2030, as highlighted by Dr. Yeong-Kuk Lee, President of KRICT, who emphasized the technology's core role in carbon-free turquoise hydrogen production.