Project description
Exploring nickel-based hydrogen evolution reaction
Electrocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production is promising, but platinum’s cost and scarcity limit its use. Nickel is a cheaper alternative but less efficient due to higher overpotential and bubble issues. Some research suggests that confining catalyst particles can enhance activity, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the COHERON project will explore the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in confined electrochemical cells, varying volumes from micro- to nanolitres, to examine the effects of spatial confinement. Combining microscopy techniques and physics-based modelling, the project will link cell volume, geometry, and catalytic behaviour to enhance nickel-based HER. Outcomes will improve green hydrogen production and support the EU’s climate goals.
Objective
Electrocatalytic water splitting via the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has emerged as a promising route for green hydrogen production. While platinum remains the benchmark catalyst for HER, its scarcity and high cost hinder large-scale deployment. Earth-abundant nickel offers a pragmatic alternative, yet it lags behind platinum by tens of millivolts in overpotential and suffers from bubble accumulation, limiting its overall activity. Some studies report that the spatial confinement of catalyst particles can yield multi-fold enhancement in catalytic activity. These studies typically impose confinement through fixed geometries and infer mechanisms indirectly from bulk electrochemistry, leaving key questions unresolved—such as whether the enhanced activity arises from changes in local chemistry or gas dynamics.
COHERON proposes a systematic investigation of HER in confined electrochemical cells, where the cell volume will be precisely tuned from micro- to nanoliters to isolate the effects of spatial confinement on catalytic response. Two complementary microscopy techniques will be integrated with physics-based modeling to capture both activity and underlying mechanisms. Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy will map reaction activity as a function of cell volume; in-situ liquid-cell electrochemical transmission electron microscopy will track nickel nanoparticle restructuring and H2 bubble dynamics; and finite-element modeling will disentangle the contributions of ion transport, local chemistry, and geometry. The outcome will be a controlled, visual, and predictive framework for exploiting confinement to enhance nickel-based HER by establishing quantitative links between cell volume, geometric parameters, and catalytic behavior. By improving green hydrogen production and reducing reliance on critical raw materials, this outcome will contribute to the EU’s climate goals and help democratize access to clean hydrogen energy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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1050 BRUXELLES
Belgium
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