Dankook University develops non-precious metal catalyst for hydrogen production

A research team led by Professor Lee Yong-geol at Dankook University has developed a high-performance, eco-friendly non-precious metal catalyst to enhance hydrogen production via water electrolysis.

By utilizing a combination of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe), the team created a hierarchical porous active layer through electrochemical reconfiguration. This structure improves electrical conductivity and surface reactivity, addressing the stability and performance degradation issues common in standard nickel-based catalysts. Unlike expensive and scarce precious metal catalysts such as ruthenium or iridium, this new alloy offers a more scalable solution for large-scale commercialization.

The developed catalyst demonstrated a reaction activity frequency (TOF) approximately seven times higher than existing metal alloys and maintained superior performance even at high current densities. It also showed high durability during repeated testing cycles designed to simulate the unstable power supply of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. The research, published in the journal ‘Small’, is expected to contribute to large-scale water electrolysis systems and urea-based hydrogen production technologies.