Indian Scientists Innovate Scalable Device for Green Hydrogen Production
Breakthrough in Green Hydrogen Technology
New Delhi, June 21: A group of researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) in Bengaluru, which operates under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has successfully created a next-generation device capable of generating green hydrogen through the splitting of water molecules.
Green hydrogen is recognized as one of the cleanest fuels available, with the potential to decarbonize various industries, power vehicles, and serve as a means of storing renewable energy. However, until now, methods for producing it at scale and affordability have been challenging to achieve.
The innovative team at CeNS has harnessed solar energy and utilized materials that are abundant on Earth, avoiding the need for fossil fuels or costly resources.
Dr. Ashutosh K. Singh, who led the research, stated, “By choosing intelligent materials and integrating them into a heterostructure, we have developed a device that not only enhances performance but is also suitable for large-scale production.”
He further emphasized, “This advancement brings us closer to realizing affordable, large-scale solar-to-hydrogen energy systems.”
The findings, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, detail the design of a cutting-edge silicon-based photoanode featuring a novel n-i-p heterojunction architecture. This structure comprises stacked layers of n-type TiO2, intrinsic (undoped) Si, and p-type NiO semiconductors, which collectively improve charge separation and transport efficiency.
The materials were applied using magnetron sputtering, a scalable technique that ensures precision and efficiency. This meticulous engineering approach has resulted in enhanced light absorption, accelerated charge transport, and minimized recombination loss, all crucial for effective solar-to-hydrogen conversion.
This achievement goes beyond mere laboratory success. The device recorded an impressive surface photovoltage of 600 mV and a low onset potential of approximately 0.11 VRHE, demonstrating its effectiveness in hydrogen generation using solar energy.
Remarkably, it exhibited outstanding long-term stability, functioning continuously for over 10 hours in alkaline conditions with only a 4% drop in performance, a notable accomplishment for silicon-based photoelectrochemical systems.
The researchers highlighted that this new device is appealing due to its high efficiency, minimal energy requirements, robust durability, and cost-effective materials, all combined in one solution.
It also proved effective at a larger scale, with a 25 cm² photoanode achieving excellent results in solar water-splitting.
With further advancements, this technology has the potential to power hydrogen-based energy systems across various applications, from residential to industrial, all utilizing solar energy.