First Graphene has announced details of an independent study into the performance of graphene-based electrocatalysts for the generation of green hydrogen. The study by the Centre for Process Innovation UK (“CPI”) showed electrodes composed of First Graphene’s metal-oxide doped graphene reduced the amount of power required to produce hydrogen from the electrolysis of water.
Analysis by the CPI has confirmed metal-oxide doped graphene materials from First Graphene can reduce overpotential, which is a measurement of energy efficiency of the electrolyser, by 43%. Improvements to the process were also identified that can increase throughput by 64%, reduce raw material costs by 50% and broaden metal oxide options in the product, providing a cost-effective commercial solution for the green hydrogen industry.
Electrocatalysts can reduce the power consumption for water electrolysis, but state-of-the-art electrocatalysts use rare and expensive metals, limiting their widespread use. The electrocatalysts used in this trial by the CPI are an advancement of First Graphene’s previously developed metal-oxide supercapacitor materials.
The study tested electrodes containing metal-oxide graphene materials in a hydrogen generation cell for overpotential and stability by linear sweep voltammetry and constant current measurements, respectively.
The PureGRAPH®-based electrodes showed overpotential values (at 10mA/cm2) of 0.175V for graphene-manganese-oxide and 0.170V for graphene-ruthenium-manganese-oxide, compared with 0.305V for commercial ruthenium oxide under similar conditions.
The CPI benchmarked the performance versus literature values for metal oxide and confirmed the graphene-based electrodes provide equivalent performance at lower metal oxide concentrations. Patent applications have been filed by the Company, strengthening the core patent portfolio which is exclusively licensed to the company from the University of Manchester.
This project was funded by the Net-Zero Tees Valley program, which will also allow First Graphene to continue to develop manufacturing know-how for production of the electrode materials.
First Graphene Managing Director and CEO Michael Bell said: “This is an exciting development for First Graphene as we develop our next generation of products that can be used in high value industries that will be part of the solution for decarbonization. With rapid growth expected in hydrogen production catalysts, these results place First Graphene in
a strong position to provide a high-performing, cost-effective, graphene-enhanced solution.”