The results of hydrogen production from seawater by the Chinese scientific research team are published in a sub-journal of Nature
On October 15, the team led by academician Xie He Ping of the Chinese Academy of Engineering announced their groundbreaking research on seawater hydrogen production in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. This marks the second publication in the field following their previous work on direct seawater electrolysis, which was published in Nature.
Academician Xie shared insights into the significance of this research, emphasizing that seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production is a crucial development pathway for future energy systems. Traditional methods of producing hydrogen from seawater involve a two-step process: desalination followed by hydrogen production. This approach often requires complex desalination equipment that takes up considerable space and incurs high investment costs and engineering challenges.
Since the latter half of the 20th century, scientists have been exploring the potential of direct electrolysis of seawater. Through innovative strategies in catalyst design and membrane materials, they have made significant advancements in addressing key issues such as chlorine ion interference, precipitation of calcium and magnesium salts, and catalyst deactivation.
In November 2022, Xie He Ping’s team introduced a novel concept known as phase transition-mediated direct electrolysis of seawater. This innovation fundamentally addressed the challenges associated with direct seawater electrolysis and was published in Nature, later being recognized as one of the “Top Ten Scientific Advances in China” for 2022. In May of the following year, the team collaborated with Dongfang Electric to develop the “Dongfu No. 1,” a floating hydrogen production system. This project became the world’s first demonstration of in-situ direct electrolysis of seawater powered by offshore wind energy and represents the only floating marine direct electrolysis demonstration globally, marking a significant step towards industrialization of their new principle technology.
The latest research published diverges from the disruptive phase transition technology introduced in Nature. Instead, it focuses on the challenges posed by chlorine ion-induced side reactions and electrode corrosion in seawater. The team proposed a new decoupled direct electrolysis strategy that cleverly mitigates the impact of chlorine ions on hydrogen production through an oxidation-reduction mediated approach. This work not only demonstrates the anti-corrosive properties of the decoupled seawater electrolysis system but also validates its application potential in complex seawater environments.
This decoupled seawater hydrogen production method broadens the scope of Xie He Ping’s innovative principle technology framework for in-situ direct electrolysis of seawater without desalination. It establishes a theoretical system and technological framework that effectively addresses the challenges posed by seawater’s complex composition, providing a solid foundation for the industrial development of direct seawater electrolysis.
