Chinese researchers breakthrough seawater hydrogen production and magnesium extraction co-production technology

Addressing the challenge of high costs in hydrogen production via water electrolysis, Hainan University collaborated with the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to achieve a breakthrough in the direct electrolysis of natural seawater for hydrogen production and magnesium extraction technology, realizing the co-production of hydrogen and magnesium hydroxide and significantly reducing hydrogen production costs. On December 12, Beijing time, the relevant research results were published in the international academic journal Nature Communications.

Currently, hydrogen production from freshwater electrolysis faces issues like high costs and significant resource consumption. Seawater is an ideal raw material for hydrogen production, but the abundant magnesium ions within it tend to deposit on the electrode surface during the electrolysis process, leading to rapid electrode failure.

Researchers have developed a new type of "non-stick pan"-like electrode. By adding iodine ions to the surface of the platinum electrode and utilizing electrostatic repulsion, they caused the magnesium hydroxide generated during the seawater electrolysis hydrogen evolution reaction to stay away from the electrode surface and precipitate into the solution, effectively preventing scaling on the electrode surface. Currently, the seawater hydrogen production and magnesium extraction engineering prototype developed by the research team can operate stably in natural seawater for over 5,000 hours.

According to Xinlong Tian, Head of the Ocean Clean Energy Innovation Team of Hainan University, this technology can be carried out at room temperature, enabling the co-production of high-purity hydrogen and magnesium hydroxide at a lower cost than traditional high-energy-consumption processes. Experimental data shows that while producing 1 kilogram of hydrogen, approximately 15 kilograms of high-purity magnesium hydroxide can be extracted, and the value of the magnesium hydroxide can basically offset the cost of hydrogen production.

Researchers stated that this breakthrough technology is expected to help achieve the low-cost mass production of "green hydrogen."

Original title: “Chinese researchers breakthrough seawater hydrogen production and magnesium extraction co-production technology”

Original link：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kxa_Tu83i7__4W9E3SKVpQ