‘Clean’ hydrogen research led by Clemson University could have broad impact

Clemson University researchers are leading a project aimed at creating a new way of producing hydrogen with renewable energy instead of natural gas, a critical step toward weaning the world off fossil fuels.

The research focuses on developing new advanced materials and manufacturing methods to produce solid oxide electrolysis cells, or SOECs. Those cells are key components of electrolyzers, the devices that create and store hydrogen.

The impact has the potential to be far reaching. Hydrogen is used in products ranging from fertilizer to steel and is seen as a promising fuel of the future for vehicles, including cars, buses and airplanes.

One of the drawbacks to hydrogen is that its production now depends on mixing natural gas with steam, which creates the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as a byproduct. The cells would instead be part of a new way of producing hydrogen but not carbon dioxide.

They would use electricity from renewable resources, such as solar and wind power, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, a process called electrolysis. The "clean" hydrogen could then be collected and stored for a wide range of uses.

The three-year project is funded with $4.9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. With other financial commitments, the total budget will be $5.7 million.

Fei Peng, a professor of materials science and engineering, serves as the principal investigator. Partnering organizations include the University of Cincinnati, Siemens Corporation, Advanced Manufacturing LLC and Siemens Energy.

Part of what makes the project unique is that researchers will be developing ways of creating new materials and manufacturing them on a large scale at the same time, aiming to shorten the time between research and real-world application.

"In the end we want to demonstrate a product that could be used in the real world, not only a lab," Peng said. "Clemson is uniquely positioned to lead this work because we have demonstrated strength in laser manufacturing of materials and devices, and we have highly promising ideas for how to advance the technology."

In the new project, Clemson researchers will be building on previous work that had similar goals and employing two areas of expertise, machine learning and lasers.

Machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, will help speed up creation of new materials.

The conventional way of testing a new material is through trial and error: create the material, examine its properties through a high-powered microscope and then keep trying until the desired properties are attained.

The AI will be able to examine thousands of previously created microscopic images and how those materials were made to suggest ways of making new materials for the cells. It will also be able to keep an eye on new materials while they are being made, spotting any problems right away.

"This is a new concept," Peng said. "With this funding from the DOE, we will not only develop the new product but also new concepts in advanced manufacturing, advanced material research and how to apply AI to the research."

Researchers also plan to advance their work in laser manufacturing. A 3D printer will layer materials in powder form. Lasers will immediately cut and sinter the materials as they are delivered, while also controlling the thickness of the layers.

Researchers plan to make thousands of samples, each one-millimeter square. Then they will test the samples to determine the optimal combination of composition of materials and manufacturing parameters.

Once ready for manufacturing, the SOECs will look almost like three pieces of paper- the anode, electrolyte and cathode- stacked on top of each other. The cells would then be packed into electrolyzers, where they would be ready to make hydrogen.

Partners will be crucial to the project, Peng said.

Co-principal investigators from Clemson include Hai Xiao, Jianhua Tong and Mark Johnson.

Co-principal investigators from outside Clemson include: Junhang Dong of the University of Cincinnati; Anand Kulkarni of Siemens Corporation; Dongsheng Li and Thomas Maloney of Advanced Manufacturing LLC; and Ramesh Subramanian of Siemens Energy.

Kyle Brinkman, chair of Clemson's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, said the project underscores Clemson's leadership in advanced materials and advanced manufacturing.

"The interdisciplinary work being done here is about more than creating new technology-it's about positioning Clemson at the forefront of the sustainable energy transformation," he said. "Our researchers are pioneering efficient, scalable methods to produce hydrogen without the carbon footprint."

Anand Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, said the new research will help position Clemson as a leader in the development of a global hydrogen economy.

"This project not only aligns with the Department of Energy's goals to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen but also demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of our faculty in advanced materials and advanced manufacturing," he said. "I wholeheartedly congratulate the entire team for its work. We are well positioned to contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous future."