To: TobagoJack who wrote (153760 ) 2/29/2020 4:33:40 PM From: Haim R. Branisteanu Read Replies (1) | Respond to Ma see no platinum or iridium or ruthenium but nickel and rust iron or sulfur or coper The electrolysis of low-grade and saline surface water powered by renewable energy sources such as solar, marine, geothermal and wind, generation of storable hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis provides a promising path towards energy sustainability. However, state-of-the-art electrolysis requires support from associated processes such as desalination of water sources, further purification of desalinated water, and transportation of water, which often contribute to the financial and energy costs. One strategy to avoid these operations is to develop electrolyzers that are capable of operating with impure water feeds directly. Here we review recent developments in electrode materials/catalysts for water electrolysis using low-grade and saline water, a significantly more abundant resource worldwide compared to potable water. We address the associated challenges in the design of electrolyzers and discuss future potential approaches that may yield highly active and selective materials for water electrolysis in the presence of common impurities such as metal ions, chloride, and bio-organisms. Similar results can be achieved with specific SMR's using the sulfur hydrogen & oxygen separation cycle and generate electricity "The nano-scale interface fundamentally changes the property of these materials," he says. "Our results show the nickel-iron catalyst can be as active as the platinum one for hydrogen generation. "An additional benefit is that our nickel-iron electrode can catalyze both the hydrogen and oxygen generation, so not only could we slash the production costs by using Earth-abundant elements, but also the costs of manufacturing one catalyst instead of two." A quick glance at today's metal prices shows just why this could be the game-changer needed to speed the transition towards the so-called hydrogen economy. Iron and nickel are priced at $0.13 and $19.65 a kilogram. By contrast, ruthenium, platinum, and iridium are priced at $11.77, $42.13 and $69.58 per gram Electrolyzer in every district - The possibilities for this new catalyst are manifold. Both in the form of the fuel cell and the reverse reaction in an electrolyzer. For example, fuel cells are used in hydrogen-powered cars while some hospitals already have emergency generators with hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Transporting hydrogen is much cheaper than transporting electricity Hensen's dream goes further. He says, "I hope that we will soon be able to install an electrolyzer in every neighborhood. This refrigerator-sized device stores all the energy from the solar panels on the roofs in the neighborhood during the daytime as hydrogen. The underground gas pipelines will transport hydrogen. The fuel cell will be latter converting the stored hydrogen back into electricity. But for this to happen, the electrolyzer still needs to undergo considerable development. Together with other TU/e researchers and industrial partners from the Brabant region, Hensen is therefore involved in the start-up of the energy institute of TU Eindhoven. The aim is to scale up the current commercial electrolyzers to a refrigerator-size electrolyzer of about 10 megawatts.
