At the 9th International Hydrogen Technologies Congress (IHTEC-2025), held from May 25 to 28 in Izmir, Türkiye, the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) presented research from the European REDHy project, focused on advancing green hydrogen production technologies.
IHTEC-2025, organized by Dokuz Eylül University and the Hydrogen Technologies Association, brought together global experts to explore innovations across the hydrogen value chain — from production and storage to safety and policy. CNR’s contribution, focusing on increasing the sustainability and scalability of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis, was presented by Maria Aurora Mancuso.
PEM electrolysis is considered a highly efficient method for green hydrogen production. However, its current reliance on rare and expensive noble metals like platinum (for the hydrogen evolution reaction, HER) and iridium oxide (for the oxygen evolution reaction, OER) poses significant economic and resource-based challenges.
CNR researchers, working within the REDHy project, explored molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) as a low-cost, abundant alternative to platinum. Four types of MoS₂-based catalysts were developed using hydrothermal synthesis — both with and without carbon support (Ketjen Black) — and tested in PEM cells with a 5 cm² active area.
The findings were compelling: catalysts supported on carbon showed significantly better performance due to enhanced conductivity and improved contact with the cell components. Among them, the MoS₂-S2 catalyst emerged as the top performer, delivering the lowest electrical resistance and cell voltage at 1 A/cm². Its superior performance was attributed to a key innovation — the integration of the conductive support directly into the precursor solution during synthesis.
Long-term testing confirmed the stability and efficiency of MoS₂-S2, positioning it as a promising noble-metal-free catalyst for future PEM systems.
This research represents a critical step toward reducing dependency on critical raw materials and improving the economic viability of hydrogen technologies — aligning with Europe’s broader goals for a sustainable, hydrogen-powered future.
You can find the abstract here.
Stay tuned for more updates on REDHy and CNR’s pioneering work in clean energy solutions.
