New Delhi: A team of Indian and international researchers has made a significant discovery that could help improve the efficiency and affordability of green hydrogen production, strengthening efforts to develop cleaner energy technologies.
The research, led by Dr. Neena S. John and PhD scholar Palash Jyoti Gogoi from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) in Bengaluru, examined the behaviour of a widely used catalyst during the process of hydrogen generation through water splitting, millennium post reported.
The study was conducted in collaboration with scientists from Kiel University in Germany and the Indo-Korea Science and Technology Center (IKST) in Bengaluru.
Green hydrogen, widely regarded as a promising clean fuel for the future, is produced through water electrolysis, a process that relies on catalysts to accelerate the separation of hydrogen from water. Improving the performance of these catalysts is considered essential for reducing production costs and increasing the commercial viability of green hydrogen.
During their investigation, the researchers focused on molybdenum carbide (Moâ‚‚C), a catalyst commonly used in hydrogen evolution reactions. Their findings challenged a long-standing assumption that such catalysts remain structurally unchanged during operation.
Instead, the team discovered that molybdenum carbide undergoes a dynamic transformation while producing hydrogen. The material develops oxygen-deficient molybdenum oxide regions during the reaction process, which significantly enhance both its catalytic activity and long-term stability.
According to the researchers, this newly identified behaviour helps explain why the catalyst performs effectively and could provide valuable insights for designing next-generation materials for green hydrogen production.
The breakthrough is expected to contribute to ongoing efforts to develop more efficient and cost-effective hydrogen technologies, supporting the transition toward cleaner energy systems and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
As countries around the world invest heavily in green hydrogen as part of their decarbonisation strategies, the discovery could play an important role in advancing the performance of future electrolysis systems and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen-based energy solutions.
