IIT-Guwahati develops low-cost catalyst to produce hydrogen from water

Researchers at IIT-Guwahati have developed a low-cost nickel-based catalyst that splits water to produce hydrogen. The material could help make cleaner hydrogen production more efficient, stable and scalable.IIT-Guwahati develops low-cost Nickel catalyst for green hydrogen from waterResearchers at IIT Guwahati have developed a low-cost catalyst for producing hydrogen from water, a development that could support India's National Green Hydrogen Mission and the wider shift towards cleaner energy.Hydrogen is seen as an important clean-energy fuel because its use for energy generation produces water as the main by-product. It is also used in fuel cells and several industries, including fertiliser production.However, most hydrogen produced today still comes from fossil fuels. Around 90–95 per cent is generated using sources such as natural gas and coal, releasing greenhouse gases in the process.Producing hydrogen from water through electrolysis offers a cleaner alternative, but it requires efficient catalysts. MOVING BEYOND EXPENSIVE METALSThe most efficient catalysts used for water splitting often rely on rare and expensive noble metals. This makes them difficult to use at the scale needed for widespread hydrogen production.The IIT-Guwahati team instead used an inexpensive and widely available nickel salt along with an anthracene-based organic molecule. Akshai Kumar, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at IIT-Guwahati, led the study. He said the researchers synthesised a coordination polymer catalyst in a simple process at room temperature using ultrasonic waves.The resulting material forms an extended network in which nickel atoms are connected by organic molecules. According to the researchers, this structure provides a high density of active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction while helping electrons move efficiently through the material.88% ENERGY USED FOR WATER SPLITTINGThe researchers found that nearly 88 per cent of the electrical energy supplied was used to split water. They said minimising energy wastage is important for developing practical hydrogen-production systems.The catalyst also remained stable during long-term operation, another factor that could be important for potential large-scale use.Kalishankar Bhattacharyya, assistant professor at IIT-Guwahati, said the study showed a synergistic effect between nickel and the anthracene-based framework, with each component improving the performance of the other.The team used chemical analysis and modelling to understand the catalyst's behaviour. Their findings indicated that nickel atoms form a three-dimensional network with the anthracene component.The study has been published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A. It was co-authored by Kumar, Bhattacharyya and research scholars Niharika Tanwar, Jumana Ishrat and Khadimul Islam.The researchers believe the low-cost and stable material could contribute to efforts to make water-based hydrogen production more efficient and scalable.(With PTI inputs)- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 14:48 IST