Description du projet
Des catalyseurs polarisés par spin pour une production rentable d’hydrogène
L’hydrogène figure en tête de liste des carburants prometteurs, propres, rentables et à faible teneur en carbone, et l’électrolyse de l’eau basée sur les énergies renouvelables est l’une des technologies susceptibles d’en produire. Sa mise en œuvre à grande échelle est toutefois entravée par la nécessité d’utiliser des métaux du groupe du platine (MGP) rares et coûteux pour catalyser la réaction cathodique d’évolution de l’hydrogène et la réaction anodique d’évolution de l’oxygène (OER, pour «oxygen evolution reaction»). Il est donc essentiel de développer des catalyseurs efficaces sans MGP pour atteindre les objectifs de décarbonation de l’UE. Le projet SpinCat, financé par l’UE, créera une nouvelle classe de catalyseurs magnétiques à base d’éléments disponibles en abondance sur Terre qui pourront, grâce à la polarisation de spin, tripler l’activité catalytique vis-à-vis de l’OER par rapport aux meilleurs catalyseurs actuels, ce qui permettra de produire de l’hydrogène de manière rentable sans avoir recours aux MGP.
Objectif
For Europe to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, H2 has been identified as one of the priority areas for clean, affordable and secure energy to replace oil and gas, in accordance with the European Green Deal. Water electrolysis using renewable energy is the leading energy storage contender as a clean H2 source to establish a sustainable H2 economy. However, the necessity of using rare and expensive platinum groups metals (PGMs) to catalyse the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) hinders the wide implementation of water electrolysis. Therefore, the development of efficient PGM-free catalysts is of utmost importance for Europe to reach its decarbonization objectives.
SpinCat addresses this need by realizing a new class of magnetic earth-abundant catalysts that, through spin polarization, will boost catalytic activity towards OER by a factor of three as compared to state-of-the-art catalysts. Further enhancements to catalytic activity will be obtained through the use of external magnetic field during catalysis. Through an interplay of experiment and theory, we will design and prepare catalyst materials featuring optimal spin polarization effects, gain fundamental knowledge on the parameters affecting the OER activity of magnetic materials, and develop a general theoretical model for the overall description of the influence of the electron spin in electrocatalysis. The technology will be demonstrated in a magnetically enhanced anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser prototype, which merges the benefits of both internal and external magnetic effects.
The long-term vision of SpinCat is to establish cost-effective H2 production via reducing the cost of membrane-based electrolyser technology by omitting the need of PGMs. This project will contribute to establishing Europe as the world leader in electrolyser technology for renewable H2 production.
Champ scientifique
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysiselectrocatalysis
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysis
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energyhydrogen energy
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinateur
4715-330 Braga
Portugal