In the UK, Open Access Government reported that researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have made significant discoveries in the quest to produce green hydrogen efficiently using sunlight
The team has developed a triple-layered material that enhances the performance of water-splitting reactions, a crucial step in the production of hydrogen, according to the report.
These new findings have the potential to pave the way for more sustainable energy systems, particularly in the heavy-duty transport sector, where batteries aren’t as practical.
This new triple-layered material consists of three layers: cubic silicon carbide, cobalt oxide and a catalytic layer of nickel hydroxide.
The report noted that each of these layers plays a specific role in enhancing the photochemical reaction that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. When the material is met with sunlight, it generates electric charges that are used to break the bonds in water molecules.
The Linköping University research team estimates it could take five to ten years to achieve the 10% efficiency goal. This would enable the entire hydrogen production process to be run directly from solar energy, reducing reliance on electricity from other renewable sources and lowering production costs.
More on the story.
