Innovative Self-healing Chalcogenide Catalysts for Green Hydrogen Production

Electrochemical water splitting (WS) to produce hydrogen has been recognized as an up-and-coming technology for storing zero-carbon electricity generated from intermittent and non-dispatchable renewable energy sources.

Among water electrolyzers, the emerging anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) are the most promising, combining efficiency and sustainability. Although it is an attractive technology, it is not yet mature and needs to be further improved to meet market needs. One of the main bottlenecks is related to the efficiency and durability of the WS catalysts.

In this context, INNOSHEAL project (INNOvative Self-HEALing chalcogenide catalysts for green hydrogen production) aims to develop new WS catalysts, free of critical raw materials (CRM-free), highly efficient, and durable thank to self-healing groundbreaking properties.

The innovative strategy is based on developing a design that allows for a large number of Fe-, Ni- and Mo-based catalytic active sites and an auxiliary system that promotes material self-healing due to the presence of a subnanometric layer of chalcogenide (S-, Se-, Te -based) sites.

To ensure the successful achievement of project goals, the project will be conducted at ICB-CSIC, the Spanish National Research Council, with operando investigation during a secondment at PSI in Switzerland.

The expected results of this proposal will primarily concern new knowledge on catalytic properties and self-healing characteristics, together with a contribution to the reduction of hydrogen production costs and the elimination of CRM dependency.

The resilience of hydrogen-integrated energy systems is crucial for a reliable energy transition in Europe and will consolidate Europe's leadership in this field.

Moreover, this project will help the researcher to enhance her academic profile and research skills, offering exciting career prospects while promoting new collaborations.