Green hydrogen: CeNS has revealed a new catalyst that transforms itself

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, one of the easiest ways to produce hydrogen, the clean fuel of the future, is to split water using electricity. | Photo credit: Getty Images

In a joint effort, scientists from the Center for Nanotechnology and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) have discovered a catalyst whose structure can transform itself and at the same time trigger the electrolysis of water to produce green hydrogen. This could pave the way for efficient, durable and cost-effective hydrogen production systems.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, one of the easiest ways to produce hydrogen, the clean fuel of the future, is to split water using electricity.

However, this process only works well if there are good catalysts to speed up and make the reaction more efficient.

“People assume that catalysts are solid and stable and do their job without change. In fact, many catalysts behave quite differently when they are actually used. Their structure can shift during a reaction, and these changes can have a big impact on how well they work,” the department said.

A research team led by Neena S. John and Ph.D. scientist Palash Jyoti Gogoi of CeNS, in collaboration with Chandraraj Alex of Kiel University, Germany, and Satadeep Bhattacharjee and Swetarekha Ram of the Indo-Korea Science and Technology Center (IKST), Bengaluru, revealed how the structure of the catalyst can transform while simultaneously triggering the electrolysis of water to produce green hydrogen.

The team provided new insights into the behavior of molybdenum carbide (Mo2C), a widely studied catalyst abundant on Earth, by revealing how its structure evolves during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Through a combination of advanced experimental techniques, including in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and in situ Raman spectroscopy, along with theoretical calculations, the researchers observed how Mo2C changes during HER.

The study shows that Mo2C does not remain structurally static during HER, instead undergoing dynamic reconstruction to form oxygen-deficient molybdenum oxide (MoOx) domains.

“These reconstructed species exhibit a local coordination environment that closely resembles MoO2 and play a critical role in facilitating hydrogen (H2) formation. Importantly, this transformation is not detrimental, but rather beneficial, leading to improved activity and stability. In contrast, Mo/Mo2C heterostructures exhibit faster oxidation, resulting in the formation of soluble molybdate species and subsequent loss of controlled catalytic activity. Efficiency, while uncontrolled oxidation in Mo/Mo2C leads to degradation,” the department said.

Published – 07 Jun 2026 20:07 IST