【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Sichuan University and Shenzhen University have for the first time incorporated the multi-factor coupling effects of real marine environments into the research framework for hydrogen production from seawater

Thread Content

On April 9, the research team led by Academician Xie Heping from Sichuan University/Shenzhen University published findings on the direct production of hydrogen from seawater in Nature Reviews: Clean Technology. For the first time, this study incorporates the multi-factor coupling effects in real marine environments into the research framework for hydrogen production from seawater. It establishes a comprehensive understanding spanning from microscopic reaction mechanisms to large-scale engineering applications, and proposes an innovative systematic evaluation framework for the large-scale industrial use of direct electrolysis of seawater to produce hydrogen. This provides theoretical support and guidance for the development of the marine green hydrogen industry. Direct hydrogen production from seawater is one of the strategic breakthroughs to drive transformation in the energy system. According to Xie Heping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, since the concept of producing hydrogen through the direct electrolysis of seawater was proposed in the international academic community in the 1970s, research on direct seawater hydrogen production has mainly focused on catalyst modification, asymmetric electrolysis, and membrane pore screening. Yet these efforts have not been able to completely resolve common industry challenges such as chlorine evolution side reactions caused by the complex components in seawater, catalyst deactivation, and system corrosion. At the same time, the vast majority of studies lack a systematic understanding of the combined effects of various factors in real marine environments, such as fluctuations in seawater composition, wind and wave disturbances, salt spray corrosion, and fluctuations in the output of renewable energy sources; this results in a significant gap between laboratory findings and practical engineering applications. To address the aforementioned challenges in technological development, this study systematically analyzed the key microscopic mechanisms involved in the direct electrolysis of seawater. It identified the mechanisms by which competitive reactions between oxygen and chlorine evolution, the deposition of calcium and magnesium ions, and changes in interfacial mass transfer affect the stability and energy efficiency of systems for producing hydrogen through the direct electrolysis of seawater ； By integrating international mainstream technical approaches, it systematically analyzed the applicability and limitations of different solutions for engineering scale-up. For the first time, it established criteria for understanding the relationship between microscopic reaction mechanisms and the operation of macroscopic systems, thereby filling the research gap existing in this field due to the disconnect between microscopic fundamentals and engineering applications. For the first time, this study extends the research perspective from ideal laboratory scenarios to real-world ocean engineering contexts, establishing a comprehensive systematic evaluation framework that takes into account material properties, interfacial processes, device structure, marine environmental factors, and the suitability for renewable energy use. It provides clear and quantifiable guidelines for optimizing the entire technology chain involved in seawater hydrogen production, as well as for its engineering design and scale-up. Experts say that this achievement systematically outlines the development trajectory and theoretical framework of direct seawater hydrogen production, covering the \"microscopic mechanisms, system scaling, and environmental adaptability\" aspects, thereby providing a theoretical basis for advancing this technology from the laboratory stage to large-scale industrial application.