Ammonia Electrolysis Cell for Hydrogen Generation Powered by a Single Perovskite Solar Cell

Ammonia can be used as a fuel to power devices or to generate clean hydrogen provided that efficient and selective catalysts for ammonia oxidation are accessible

ICIQ researchers have demonstrated that a single perovskite cell can drive hydrogen production from ammonia. This work is a joint effort from the groups of Prof. Antoni Llobet and Prof. Emilio Palomares and has been recently published at the Journal of Energy Chemistry.

In this work, a single perovskite solar cell is coupled to a 2-electrode electrochemical cell employing hybrid electroanodes functionalized with Ruthenium-based molecular catalysts. This study is the first illustration of a heterogenized anode being used in a photovoltaic-electrochemical (PV-EC) application. The stability of the perovskite cell combined with the tunability of molecular catalysts is a promising strategy for PV-EC applications in ammonia conversion.

“This work proposes a new concept by combining ammonia splitting and perovskite solar cells for the solar hydrogen production. The electrochemical ammonia splitting needs low thermodynamic requirements, which can be powered by a single and efficient perovskite solar cell, offering the possibility to design high-performance PV-EC systems with low energy inputs.”

Dr. Wenhui Li, from Prof. Emilio Palomares’ group.

Ammonia is an attractive fuel not only because of its relatively high energy density but also because it has a very low flammability and is easy to liquify and thus can be easily transported through an already existing world-wide logistic infrastructure. Further ammonia is also very attractive because is a CO₂-free an environmentally friendly fuel. Thus, catalysts capable of performing the ammonia oxidation reaction efficiently and selectively are needed to be able to design useful technological devices. Solar-driven ammonia splitting provides a path to distributed hydrogen with low energy inputs.

“Direct solar to hydrogen conversion, plays a crucial role in green hydrogen production. I consider the results of this work a promising indication of the future potential for industrial-scale applications of ammonia as green hydrogen source.”

Alisa Denisiuk, from Prof. Antoni Llobet’s group.

This project has received financial support from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación through projects PID2022-140143OB-I00 (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and SO-CEX2019-000925-S (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/5011000110). This work was supported by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship grant funding to Anna M. Beiler, grant 101031365-SolTIME. Wenhui Li thanks the support from the MSCA-COFUND I2: ICIQ Impulsion (GA 801474).

Reference publication

Solar hydrogen production from electrochemical ammonia splitting powered by a single perovskite solar cell
Beiler, A. M.; Li, W. H.; Denisiuk, A.; Palomares, E.; Llobet, A.
J. Energy Chem. 2024, 92, 292-295, DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2023.12.032.