Breakthrough in Green Hydrogen Production: Researchers Introduce Innovative Catalyst

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have made a significant contribution to the field of green energy production, introducing a novel catalyst that enables the efficient and sustainable production of green hydrogen. The catalyst, a silica-anchored cobaloxime system, is capable of splitting seawater to produce high-purity green hydrogen, addressing the energy crisis and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. This groundbreaking research has far-reaching implications for the future of renewable energy production.

Key Takeaways:

• The silica-anchored cobaloxime system achieves a solar-to-hydrogen generation efficiency of 14%, a power conversion efficiency of 17.4%, and a round-trip energy efficiency of 80%.
• The catalyst shows bidirectional O reduction and evolution activity, enabling solar energy storage through a rechargeable zinc-air battery (RZAB).
• A photovoltaic-RZAB-electrolyser triad was established for indirect green hydrogen production using stored renewable energy, with an energy conversion efficiency of 84%.
• The research concluded that the strategic application of the catalyst as a multifunctional electrocatalyst enables sustainable green hydrogen production both during the day and night under practical conditions.
• The catalyst-powered electrolyser produces an average of 0.82 mmol h of green hydrogen and 0.44 mmol h of oxygen, with a hydrogen conversion efficiency of approximately 80 kWh kg under natural sunlight.

Statistics:

• 14% solar-to-hydrogen generation efficiency
• 17.4% power conversion efficiency
• 80% round-trip energy efficiency
• 84% energy conversion efficiency
• 0.82 mmol h of green hydrogen produced per hour
• 0.44 mmol h of oxygen produced per hour
• 80 kWh kg hydrogen conversion efficiency under natural sunlight

Sources:

NewsRx. Research from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Reveals New Findings on Electronics (A Heterogenised Molecular Electrocatalyst for Round-the-Clock Green Hydrogen Production by Solar-Electrolyser and Zinc-Air Batteries). Electronics Newsweekly. November 4, 2025; p 3575.

A Heterogenised Molecular Electrocatalyst for Round-the-Clock Green Hydrogen Production by Solar-Electrolyser and Zinc-Air Batteries. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025.