[ materials ]
University , UC Irvine , and UC San Diego , has led to the discovery of an important tool : a rapid catalyst discovery system . The mission of the JCAP was to find cost-effective methods to produce fuels using only sunlight , water , and CO 2
. This program produced over 30 patents and has led to the development of a unique , high-throughput catalyst discovery system . This data-driven process focuses on the discovery of new , non-rare earth catalysts for the generation of clean fuels . Using this method , scientists synthesize , characterize , and quantify the catalytic activity of thousands of material compositions per week and then close the loop with big data analysis to refine and guide the search .
A key technology within the catalyst discovery system is the scanning droplet cell ( SDC ), a custom-built device that performs electrochemical experiments in a single droplet of liquid . To use the SDC , scientists first deposit catalyst samples in an array of about 1 cm 2 spots on a conductive substrate . They then load this substrate onto the sample stage and define the area of the SDC experiment by maintaining a liquid droplet on the substrate that matches the size of the catalyst spot . At each spot , they perform small-scale , 3 – 10 second electrochemistry experiments that reveal the activity of each catalyst . Using motioncontrolled stages , they then move the substrate so that the droplet is over a new catalyst material . In this way , they can rapidly analyze an entire plate of hundreds of catalyst materials in a few hours . This technique screens catalyst materials faster than any other on earth , making it a highly valuable tool in the ongoing search for iridium replacements .
Conclusion
The problem of iridium scarcity poses a major risk to the development of a large electrolyzer market . Methods to both reduce the industry ’ s reliance on this rare earth material and develop lower-cost alternatives must be established over the next few years for the industry to grow to meet rising demand . If we ’ re lucky , no new iridium will be coming
Catalyst engineer , Michael Mazza , rapidly screens novel materials for hydrogen production using the SDC at the H2U Technologies facility in Chatsworth , California .
from space to our planet anytime soon , so in the meantime , we ’ ll have to explore these promising solutions to solve the iridium problem for ourselves .
References
1
Payne , D . Nature Chemistry 8 ( 2016 ): 392 ; Alvarez , L . W . et al . Science 208.4448 ( 1980 ): 1095 – 1108 .
2
‘ Could the green hydrogen boom lead to additional renewable capacity by 2026 ?’ IEA ( 2021 ).
3
Babic , U ., et al . Journal of The Electrochemical
Society 164.4 ( 2017 ): F387 .
4
Hubert , M . A ., et al . ACS Energy Letters 7.1 ( 2021 ): 17 – 23 .
5
Babic .
6
Minke , C ., et al . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 46.46 ( 2021 ): 23581 – 23590 .
7
Hubert .
About the author
Katherine Rinaldi is the Director of Government Affairs at H2U Technologies . Prior to this position , Katherine earned her PhD in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology , where she studied the role of hydrogen in renewable energy systems from both a technical and systems perspective . She initially joined H2U Technologies as a catalyst engineer , during which time she helped to construct and operate the catalyst discovery engine at its facilities in Chatsworth , California .
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 6 | October 2022 37