A new class of bubble-free water electrolyzer that is intrinsically highly efficient

Tiwari, Prerna; Tsekouras, George; Wagner, Klaudia; Swiegers, Gerhard F.; Wallace, Gordon G.

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.07.100

Cited by 36 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…3c(iii) in having a lower onset potential; the slopes of the curves were similar. Previous studies have demonstrated that bubble-free operation decreases the onset potential 10,11,13 . The bubble-producing cells in Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The avoidance of bubble formation at ≤0.2 A cm −2 , which was likely due to the gas-liquid interface being within diffusion distance of the electrode, may also have decreased the supersaturation of the electrolyte, leading to a voltage decline 10,13 . According to the Nernst equation, elevated gas concentrations increase E°3 3 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Faradaic efficiency and gas crossover are important features of electrolysis cells. The latter is a potential safety issue as a hydrogen stream containing >4.6% oxygen, or an oxygen stream with >3.8% hydrogen, constitutes an explosive mixture (at 80 °C) 10 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The application of sufficient voltage between the electrodes results in the electrolysis of water, which is continuously replenished by water moving up the separator from the reservoir. Because the generated hydrogen and oxygen gases readily migrate through the thin layer of liquid electrolyte covering their respective electrodes, the capillary-fed cell concept provides for bubble-free electrolysis in which water is converted directly to the bulk gases without forming gas bubbles [9][10][11][12][13] .…”

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confidence: 99%

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A high-performance capillary-fed electrolysis cell promises more cost-competitive renewable hydrogen

et al. 2022

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Renewable, or green, hydrogen will play a critical role in the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors and will therefore be important in limiting global warming. However, renewable hydrogen is not cost-competitive with fossil fuels, due to the moderate energy efficiency and high capital costs of traditional water electrolysers. Here a unique concept of water electrolysis is introduced, wherein water is supplied to hydrogen- and oxygen-evolving electrodes via capillary-induced transport along a porous inter-electrode separator, leading to inherently bubble-free operation at the electrodes. An alkaline capillary-fed electrolysis cell of this type demonstrates water electrolysis performance exceeding commercial electrolysis cells, with a cell voltage at 0.5 A cm−2 and 85 °C of only 1.51 V, equating to 98% energy efficiency, with an energy consumption of 40.4 kWh/kg hydrogen (vs. ~47.5 kWh/kg in commercial electrolysis cells). High energy efficiency, combined with the promise of a simplified balance-of-plant, brings cost-competitive renewable hydrogen closer to reality.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A high-performance capillary-fed electrolysis cell promises more cost-competitive renewable hydrogen

et al. 2022

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“…Tiwari et al . [11] reported a ‘bubble-free’ electrolyzer, with electrodes comprised of Gortex gas diffusion layers coated with catalyst. Also, techniques have been studied to reduce the overpotential by enhancing the bubble detachment from the electrode surface using external sources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrodynamic behavior of bubbles at gas-evolving electrode in ultrasonic field during water electrolysis

Cho

Deshmukh

Shin

2021

Ultrasonics Sonochemistry

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Highlights Gas removal process in HER under sonication was recorded by high-speed camera. Bubbles experience fragmentation, collision and attraction under sonication. Ultrasound reduces the critical size and residence time of bubbles in HER. Ultrasound enables the faster removal of bubbles from the electrode surface. Ultrasound improves water electrolysis efficiency.

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“Bubble‐Diode” Breathable Electrodes for Fast Gas Transport

He,

Tan

2024

Chemistry A European J

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Bubbles arising from wild gas evolution commonly exist in electrochemical systems, particularly in water electrolysis and rechargeable aqueous batteries (e. g., Zn‐air batteries). Substantial energy dissipation occurs due to the obstruction of active sites and ion‐conducting pathways by evolving bubbles. Efforts are made to elucidate effective strategies for fast gas transport, most of which focus on minimizing bubble size and facilitating their timely detachment through complex techniques such as constructing super‐hydrophilic nano‐structure electrodes, flowing electrolytes, and ultrasonic oscillation. Recently, an innovative, facile, and highly efficient method utilizing a breathable electrode design to promote gaseous molecules to the external environment emerges as a promising approach since it avoids remarkable bubble accumulation while remaining free of additional accessories. This paper highlights the origin and evolution of this promising design. Starting with introducing the basic concept of traditional breathable electrodes based on hydrophobic polymer networks and discussing the current progress made in underlying mechanisms, a detailed description of the advanced design inspired by a “bubble‐diode” concept with superior breathability follows. This Concept aims to contribute to a deep understanding of this technology and paves the way for further advancements in this renewable energy era.

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A new class of bubble-free water electrolyzer that is intrinsically highly efficient

Cited by 36 publications

References 38 publications

A high-performance capillary-fed electrolysis cell promises more cost-competitive renewable hydrogen

A high-performance capillary-fed electrolysis cell promises more cost-competitive renewable hydrogen

Hydrodynamic behavior of bubbles at gas-evolving electrode in ultrasonic field during water electrolysis

“Bubble‐Diode” Breathable Electrodes for Fast Gas Transport

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