Researchers have unveiled a new catalyst made from renewable plant waste that could significantly accelerate clean hydrogen production. The innovative material, created by embedding nickel oxide and iron oxide nanoparticles into lignin-derived carbon fibers, boosts the efficiency and stability of the oxygen evolution reaction, a key step in water electrolysis.
The study, published in Biochar X, demonstrates that the new catalyst achieves a low overpotential of 250 mV at 10 mA cm² and maintains strong performance for over 50 hours at high current density. These results suggest a promising path toward cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to precious metal catalysts that are currently used in industrial water splitting systems.
"Oxygen evolution is one of the biggest barriers to efficient hydrogen production," said corresponding author Yanlin Qin of the Guangdong University of Technology. "Our work shows that a catalyst made from lignin, a low-value byproduct of the paper and biorefinery industries, can deliver high activity and exceptional durability. This provides a greener and more economical route to large-scale hydrogen generation."
