Spin-polarized Catalysts for Energy-Efficient AEM Water Electrolysis

Project Information

SpinCat

Grant agreement ID: 964972

DOI

10.3030/964972

Project closed

EC signature date 20 January 2021

Start date 1 June 2021

End date 31 May 2025

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

Total cost

€ 3 358 238,75

EU contribution

€ 3 358 238,75

Coordinated by

INTERNATIONAL IBERIAN NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SpinCat (Spin-polarized Catalysts for Energy-Efficient AEM Water Electrolysis)

Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Hydrogen tops the EU’s list as a promising, clean, cost-effective, and low-carbon fuel, and water electrolysis based on renewable energy represents a potential technology for its production. However, wide implementation is prevented by the requirement of rare and expensive platinum group metals to catalyze the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction and the anodic oxygen evolution reaction. Hence, the development of efficient platinum-group-metals-free catalysts is instrumental for realizing the EU's decarbonization objectives. The EU-funded SpinCat project created a new class of magnetic earth-abundant catalysts that, through spin polarisation, promoted catalytic activity towards oxygen evolution reaction by a factor of two as compared to state-of-the-art PGM-based catalysts, establishing cost-effective hydrogen production without the use of platinum group metals.
The objectives of SpinCat were:
- To realize magnetic catalysts with dominant ferromagnetic ordering.
- To develop a fundamental understanding of parameters affecting the oxygen evolution reaction over magnetic catalysts.
- To rationally improve magnetic catalytic materials by cutting-edge predictive modeling.
- To demonstrate a magnetically-enhanced anion exchange membrane electrolyzer prototype.
The long-term vision of SpinCat was to trailblaze cost-effective hydrogen production by reducing the cost of membrane-based electrolyzer technology by omitting the need for platinum group metals. This was achieved by focusing, for the first time, on spin polarization in earth-abundant magnetic ferrites, thus enhancing the efficiency of this catalyst family. The knowledge and concepts developed in this project can be expanded beyond the anodic oxygen evolution reaction to electrochemical transformations in general, e.g. carbon dioxide upgrade and ammonia synthesis, allowing an activity boost therein. Hence, leveraging spin polarization for catalysis boost can create far-reaching benefits in industries, providing the desired energy efficiency.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The SpinCat project has fully achieved its objectives. The project has delivered exceptional results with significant immediate or potential impact, and all objectives mentioned in Annex 1 of the Grant Agreement were achieved. In addition, SpinCat has produced 13 peer-reviewed papers, all available in open access and one book chapter, as well as filed a patent application.
Importantly, WP3 (Predictive modelling) managed to accomplish vigorous computational screening of the potential magnetic catalysts. It enabled WP1 (Catalyst development) to produce a good selection of magnetic catalytic samples, thus allowing for WP2 (Electrochemical studies) to deliver outstanding magnetoelectrochemical characterisation thereof. While coherently working with WP2, WP4 (AEM electrolysis) successfully fabricated and tested proprietary alkaline exchange membrane materials, which served as a core component in the realized magnetically-enhanced anion exchange membrane electrolysis prototype. In addition to research efforts, the SpinCat has placed significant efforts into the Project Management (WP6) and Exploitation and Dissemination activities (WP5).
The SpinCat has been exploiting its results, and three Key Exploitable Results, based on the current project procedures, were realized:
(1) Anion exchange membrane electrolysis test cell for in-situ investigation of newly developed cell materials, such as membranes, catalysts, and porous transport layers;
(2) Anion exchange membrane electrolysis test stand for the reliable and reproducible investigation and characterisation of various non-pressurized electrolysis cells;
(3) Stack electrolyser concept incorporating permanent magnets to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of magnetizable catalysts;
(4) NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for magnetically assisted anion exchange membrane water electrolysis.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The SpinCat revealed earth-abundant nanomaterial-based magnetic catalysts for innovative magnetically-enhanced anion exchange membrane electrolysis to produce low-cost green hydrogen, which is needed for the decarbonization of the energy and chemical sectors. Accordingly, SpinCat contributed to the EU Green Deal, the EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials, and the EU Industrial Strategy.
SpinCat has deployed state-of-the-art synthesis and characterization techniques, which afforded magnetic catalytic materials with high activity and durability employed in SpinCat's magnetically-enhanced anion exchange membrane electrolyzer prototype.
SpinCat has developed a reliable magnetoelectrochemical method for the investigation of the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction under an applied magnetic field. This was achieved through establishing the best protocol for catalyst ink formulation, understanding the magnetoelectrochemical aging process, and optimizing the magnetoelectrochemical testing conditions.
SpinCat has demonstrated that its infrastructure, with respect to theoretical screening, was in place, and experimental results emerged that agreed with the theoretical search criteria. SpinCat was working on novel computational methods for understanding the connections between magnetism and heterogeneous catalysis that made screening processes much more reliable and faster. A set of descriptors with physical meaning based on bulk properties was established and verified experimentally.
The gas diffusion electrode approach for the fabrication of the membrane electrode assembly and the selection of diffusion media were affirmed. Experimentally, SpinCat has selected a proprietary anion exchange membrane for electrolysis to be used in SpinCat's anion exchange membrane electrolysis efforts. SpinCat has constructed two conventional anion exchange membrane electrolysis test benches, as well as constructed several anion exchange membrane electrolysis cells, affording the application of the magnetic field. These efforts culminated in a working magnetically-enhanced anion exchange membrane electrolyzer prototype.
The membrane electrode assembly based on SpinCat catalyst demonstrated strong performance enhancements when operated under a magnetic field, with a 14% increase in hydrogen production compared to non-magnetic conditions. Compared to established benchmarked technologies, SpinCat anion exchange membrane electrolysis under an applied magnetic field matched proton exchange membrane electrolysis in hydrogen output while reducing catalyst costs by 50%, offering a significant cost advantage, and outperformed conventional alkaline electrolysis in 4 times higher hydrogen production. These results indicate that SpinCat technology, particularly under magnetic field operation, offers a highly promising and cost-effective pathway for advanced green hydrogen production.

The SpinCat logo features spin polarization