Nanosheet
Catalyst Discovered to Sustainably Split Hydrogen from Water
Low-cost
non-noble electrocatalyst efficiently generates hydrogen gas for fuel
May 9, 2012
UPTON, NY –
Hydrogen gas offers one of the most promising sustainable energy alternatives
to limited fossil fuels. But traditional methods of producing pure hydrogen
face significant challenges in unlocking its full potential, either by
releasing harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or requiring rare and
expensive chemical elements such as platinum.
Now,
scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National
Laboratory have developed a new electrocatalyst that addresses one of these
problems by generating hydrogen gas from water cleanly and with much more
affordable materials. The novel form of catalytic nickel-molybdenum-nitride –
described in a paper published online May 8, 2012 in the journal Angewandte
Chemie International Edition – surprised scientists with its high-performing
nanosheet structure, introducing a new model for effective hydrogen catalysis.
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