Hydrogen production from the air

Green hydrogen produced by water splitting using renewable energy is the most promising energy carrier of the low-carbon economy. However, the geographic mismatch between renewables distribution and freshwater availability poses a significant challenge to its production. Here, we demonstrate a method of direct hydrogen production from the air, namely, in situ capture of freshwater from the atmosphere using hygroscopic electrolyte and electrolysis powered by solar or wind with a current density up to 574 mA cm⁻². A prototype of such has been established and operated for 12 consecutive days with a stable performance at a Faradaic efficiency around 95%. This so-called direct air electrolysis (DAE) module can work under a bone-dry environment with a relative humidity of 4%, overcoming water supply issues and producing green hydrogen sustainably with minimal impact on the environment. The DAE module can be scaled to provide hydrogen to remote, (semi)-arid, and scattered areas.

Jining Guo, Yuecheng Zhang, Ali Zavabeti, Kaifei Chen, Yalu Guo, Guoping Hu, Xiaolei Fan, Gang Kevin Li