Producing Hydrogen from Seawater

With the global demand for hydrogen projected to soar from 2024, its potential to serve as a clean energy storage medium and power electrochemical processes like those required for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and green steel is undeniable. Yet, the path to scaling green hydrogen production is fraught with challenges.

Currently, the leading method of producing green hydrogen, electrolysis, depends on vast quantities of both clean water and fuel-driven electricity, straining these critical resources. Given that less than 3% of the world’s water supply is fresh, scaling hydrogen production with freshwater is neither sustainable nor efficient. But what if the world’s most abundant resource—seawater—could be tapped to produce hydrogen at scale?

Addressing this challenge, Vecor Technologies, in collaboration with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), has unveiled a groundbreaking method for producing hydrogen from seawater. This innovative approach not only enhances efficiency but also significantly reduces costs and safety risks associated with traditional hydrogen production methods.

The Mechanism Behind the Innovation

At the heart of this technology is a two-step process that involves simple physical seawater filtration while harnessing mechanical and light energies to facilitate hydrogen production with the help of advanced catalytic materials.

1. Simple physical seawater filtration:

The process begins with pre-treatment for filtering the natural seawater to remove particulate matter, such as sand, slit and organic debris. This process helps to remove large particles, which can damage or clog the equipment used in hydrogen evolution.

Additionally, solar panels and solar concentrators can be used to effectively capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. This energy can then be stored in batteries, ensuring that the system can continue to operate even during the night.

2. Seawater Splitting:

Filtered seawater is pumped into a specialised tank where the core hydrogen generation occurs. Here, defective barium titanate (R-BTO), a unique patented catalyst, plays a pivotal role in splitting water molecules into pure hydrogen (H₂) without generation of oxygen (O₂) and chlorine (Cl₂). What distinguishes this method is the use of mechanical force generated by ultrasound devices and artificial solar light, which supplies the necessary energy to activate the catalytic reactions.

3. Efficient Hydrogen Generation:

Current technologies for hydrogen production using seawater require the use of expensive membranes to separate dissolved ions from seawater and produce pure water before splitting can take place.

Using dedicated research laboratories established by Vecor for research and product development in this field, Professor Sorrell, Dr. Yue Jiang, Associate Professor Pramod Koshy and Dr. Sajjad Mofarah have developed novel catalytic materials for seawater splitting. As the R-BTO catalyst interacts with both sunlight and vibrations, it efficiently splits seawater into pure hydrogen. The catalyst during this process is not consumed; instead, it can be reused multiple times, thus increasing the potential for industrial applications.

4. Technical Comparison:

Dr Jiang said that one of the major disincentives for research into seawater splitting is the potential for the formation of chlorine gas as a by-product.

“This gas is highly toxic and corrosive, but we have been able to design our materials and process to enable seawater splitting without chlorine being generated,” he said.

Associate Professor Koshy agreed, adding that another problem facing water-splitting research is oxygen generation.

“Oxygen forms an explosive mixture with hydrogen and must be separated from it before the fuel can be used,” he explained. “We’ve been able to engineer our catalysts so that oxygen generation is avoided altogether, providing a safer means of production and avoiding the need for further separation.”

This innovative hydrogen production technology from seawater offers significant advantages over traditional methods by eliminating the need for expensive seawater desalination, thus reducing operational costs and streamlining production. Its process, which combines sunlight and vibrations, induces multiple primary sustainable energy potentials compared to conventional electrolysis. Additionally, it improves safety by completely avoiding toxic gas production, making the process safer and more efficient.

Vecor’s Vision for Clean Hydrogen Production

Vecor’s goal is to develop the materials and processes required to facilitate both localised and demountable systems to split seawater into hydrogen using only clean and renewable approaches.

“With the demand for hydrogen as a clean-burning energy resource growing exponentially, developing a competitive technical solution to seawater splitting will benefit the environment while creating jobs and investment opportunities for Australian and international energy providers,”

“Given Australia’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 and the IRENA World Energy Transitions Outlook 2022 estimating that, of total energy consumption, hydrogen will account for 12%, we are confident that there will be a strong market for green hydrogen production,” said Professor Sorrell.

This will enable the company to carve out a significant participation in key industrial sectors, including:

• Electricity generation
• Transportation
• Industrial chemical fabrication
• Food production

A Collaborative Effort

“Vecor’s research commercialisation work with UNSW is focused on delivering practical, real-world solutions to the environmental, energy and economic challenges of the 21st century.” said Mr Ramsey, who is also working with the university on projects on novel rechargeable battery materials and waste material utilisation.

TRaCE is supporting this project to help it move quickly into the commercialisation phase, aiming to make a real impact in the clean energy space and respond to the growing demand for green energy.

Learn more about how Vecor Technologies works with UNSW researchers to transform abundant and waste materials into environmentally positive products here.