Self-healing tech makes cheap green hydrogen without catalysts

Researchers at Seoul National University have developed a novel electrode for water electrolysis that produces green hydrogen without relying on expensive metal catalysts and incorporates a self-healing mechanism. Traditional electrolysis methods use precious metal catalysts that degrade over time, increasing costs and limiting scalability. The new approach uses nickel-based electrodes combined with a technique called dynamic polarization control, which periodically applies a weak reducing voltage to enable trace iron in the electrolyte to reattach and bond with nickel, forming an active oxygen evolution catalyst layer. This process enhances reaction performance and allows the electrode to regenerate itself, significantly improving durability. The team demonstrated over 1,000 hours of stable operation at high current densities and successfully scaled the system to a three-stack cell setup with a 25 sq. cm active area per cell, running for several hundred hours. This catalyst-free, self-healing electrode technology promises a cost-effective and scalable solution for green hydrogen production, supporting Korea’s strategic transition to a hydrogen-based economy aimed at carbon neutrality. The researchers emphasize that their work combines theoretical insights with practical industrial relevance, marking a transformative step toward more economical and sustainable hydrogen energy technologies.