For a long time, the method of electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen has had problems such as high power consumption and high hydrogen production costs, which have restricted the promotion and application of hydrogen energy, which is known as the "ultimate energy". On September 18, reporters learned from Xiangjiang New District, Changsha, Hunan, that the team of Dr. Liu Ying of Zijin Mining New Energy and New Materials Technology (Changsha) Co., Ltd., and the team of Professor Chen Yu of South China University of Technology, developed a new material containing cesium element, which can greatly improve the hydrogen production rate of solid oxide electrolysis of water for hydrogen production compared with traditional electrolysis of water for hydrogen production technology. It is expected to provide a new path for the production of hydrogen energy with high efficiency and low energy consumption.
This result was recently published in the international energy journal "American Chemical Society Energy Letters".
As the cleanest hydrogen production technology and energy storage form, electrolysis of water for hydrogen production accounts for only 1% due to high power consumption and high hydrogen production costs. How to reduce the cost of hydrogen production through electrolysis of water is a major challenge facing the industry and the key to truly achieving a zero-carbon energy transition.
Liu Ying’s team focuses on applying Zijin Mining’s rubidium, cesium and other resource advantages to the new energy field. He proposed that rubidium and cesium have strong chemical activity and excellent photoelectric effect properties, and are expected to exert these properties in the process of electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen. After cooperating with the team of Professor Chen Yu of South China University of Technology, through repeated comparisons and attempts, the project team synthesized a new compound material. Experiments have found that this new cesium-doped electrode material exhibits extremely high electrochemical reactivity, making it possible to operate the electrolysis process in medium and low temperature environments, greatly improving the electrochemical performance and stability of electrolytic hydrogen production, thereby significantly reducing operating costs.
"The common current density of traditional electrolytic hydrogen production technologies such as alkaline and proton membrane electrolytic cells is 0.5~1.5 amperes per square centimeter, but the test results have been increased to 2.85 amperes per square centimeter. It is expected to significantly reduce the consumption and production costs of electrolytic cell materials, extend the service life, and provide great help in accelerating the efficient production of hydrogen energy." Liu Ying said. At the same time, he said that the Xiangyuan hard rock lithium polymetallic mine located in Daoxian County, Hunan Province owned by Zijin Mining has an associated rubidium oxide of 490,000 tons and an associated cesium oxide of 8,000 tons. If this research result can be widely applied, it can effectively solve the problem of utilization of rubidium and cesium small metal resources.
According to reports, in the future, Zijin Changsha New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. will further study the testing of rubidium in hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, as well as the application of rubidium and cesium in perovskite solar cells.