Hydrogen is one of the cleanest energy sources, and innovative hydrogen production technologies are conducive to promoting the achievement of the "dual carbon" goals. Recently, the team led by Professor Chen Yujin from the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Harbin Engineering University has developed a new type of hydrogen production device by promoting the development of new quality productive forces through basic theoretical research and original innovation, providing a more efficient method for the green production of hydrogen fuel and high-value-added chemicals.
The research results were published under the title "Regulation of the d-band center of metal–organic frameworks for energy-saving hydrogen generation coupled with selective glycerol oxidation" in the international top academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). It elaborated in detail on the reaction pathways and catalytic mechanisms of the catalyst electrodes, providing a theoretical basis for the in-depth research and development of bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen production coupled with electrochemical oxidation of glycerol.
The first author of the paper is He Yuqian, a 2020 doctoral student from the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Harbin Engineering University. Yan Feng, a young teacher from the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, is the first corresponding author. Professor Chen Yujin from the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Professor Zhu Chunling from the School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, and Professor Chou Shulei from Wenzhou University are the co-corresponding authors. Harbin Engineering University is the first affiliated institution.
Hydrogen production by electrolyzing water (with hydrogen generated at the cathode and oxygen at the anode) belongs to green hydrogen production technologies. However, the oxygen evolution reaction efficiency at the anode is slow when using traditional technologies, which has hindered the industrial application of this technology. The research team at Harbin Engineering University discovered that if hydrogen production is achieved by replacing the oxygen evolution reaction with the electrochemical oxidation of glycerol, not only can the limitation of the slow oxygen evolution reaction be broken through, but also high-value-added products such as formate can be produced. Therefore, developing a bifunctional catalyst with excellent performance for both the electrochemical oxidation of glycerol and the hydrogen evolution reaction is the key to realizing efficient electrolytic hydrogen production.
During the process of preparing the catalyst, the team led by Professor Chen Yujin overcame one by one the problems such as the relatively low electrical conductivity and insufficient activity of the catalyst caused by the fact that the activity of the catalyst material is easily affected by multiple factors and its structural stability is rather poor. Starting from the design of the material structure, they prepared a catalyst with atomically dispersed metal-doped nanoarrays, which strengthened the electronic interaction among different components and significantly improved the activity of the catalyst in the electrochemical oxidation of glycerol and the hydrogen evolution reaction.
After repeated experiments, under the guidance of Professor Chen Yujin and Teacher Yan Feng, He Yuqian successfully prepared a catalyst with excellent electrochemical performance. Meanwhile, the preparation method of the catalyst in this achievement is universal, and multiple metals can be applicable to hydrogen production assisted by the electro-oxidation of glycerol by using this method. This technology can effectively reduce power consumption, increase the overall reaction rate, and obtain high-value-added products. It provides a brand-new strategy for the efficient development of green hydrogen energy in China and offers technical support for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system and helping to achieve the strategic goals of "carbon peaking" and "carbon neutrality".
Schematic diagrams of the synthesis process, microstructure, and applications of MCu-CAT.
Professor Chen Yujin's team has been focusing on the field of green new energy for many years, delving deeply into basic scientific research, and conducting systematic studies in aspects such as the construction of new energy nanomaterials, performance evaluation, and reaction mechanisms, achieving a series of innovative results.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) is the journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences. It publishes high-level frontier research reports, academic reviews, disciplinary retrospectives and prospects, academic papers, as well as reports on the academic developments of the National Academy of Sciences. PNAS was founded in 1914 and has a history of over a hundred years. It is also recognized as one of the four most famous academic journals in the world (Nature, Science, PNAS, Cell).
