Researchers report seawater hydrogen method using low-cost catalyst

Scientists at the University of Sharjah say they have developed a catalyst that can produce hydrogen directly from seawater with less energy and better corrosion resistance than older approaches. The work, published in Chemical Communications, could lower the cost of green hydrogen by reducing reliance on purified water and expensive metals.

Why it matters: - Hydrogen is seen as a key fuel for cutting emissions in hard-to-electrify sectors such as steelmaking, shipping and heavy trucking. - A seawater-based process could reduce the need for purified water, lower infrastructure costs and make hydrogen production more practical in water-scarce coastal regions. - The catalyst uses nickel, cerium oxide and phosphate, all of which are far cheaper and more abundant than platinum or iridium.

What happened: - Researchers at the University of Sharjah reported a new catalyst for producing hydrogen from seawater. - The study was published in Chemical Communications. - The catalyst is designed to work with renewable electricity in water electrolysis, the process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. - The source URL for the paper is the published study.

The details: - The catalyst combines nickel hydroxide, cerium oxide and phosphate. - The material requires less energy to operate than comparable versions lacking cerium oxide or phosphate. - The catalyst is more selective for the desired oxygen-evolution reaction. - The system corrodes less in saline conditions. - In a stress test, the catalyst ran continuously for about 80 hours in simulated seawater without breaking down or losing performance. - The material formed dense pyramid-shaped nanostructures that increased the active surface area and created more reaction sites. - The study says seawater makes up roughly 97% of the planet's water. - The authors say the components are inexpensive and broadly available in nature.

Between the lines: - The result addresses two major barriers to seawater electrolysis: chloride-driven corrosion and unwanted side reactions that can produce chlorine and related byproducts. - The work fits a broader industry push toward earth-abundant catalysts that do not depend on scarce metals. - The 80-hour runtime is promising, but it is still far short of what commercial hydrogen plants need. - The main advance is not a finished product but a durability and cost signal under salty conditions that resemble real-world use.

What's next: - The catalyst will need longer operating tests before it can be considered for commercial-scale deployment. - Further work will likely focus on proving stability, performance and manufacturability over much longer periods. - If the approach scales, it could be useful for coastal industrial sites, island nations and other regions with limited freshwater access.

The bottom line: - The University of Sharjah team says its seawater catalyst is a practical step toward cheaper green hydrogen, but the technology still needs much longer testing before it can reach industry.