logo
Japan discovers game-changing metal that boosts Hydrogen output by 1,000%—world closer to fossil-free future

Japan discovers game-changing metal that boosts Hydrogen output by 1,000%—world closer to fossil-free future

Time of India20-06-2025
Japan has revealed an effective way to move toward a green future, as researchers at the RIKEN Institute have a new way of producing green hydrogen, as per a report.
A New Hope for Green Hydrogen
While countries like Spain are producing green hydrogen by using renewable energy sources to do electrolysis of water, Japan has found a way to produce the green energy on a sustainable scale, as per the Farmingdale report.
Recently, the most popular way of producing hydrogen is via PEM electrolysers, which use a proton exchange membrane as the electrolyte, due to its greater efficiency and ability to respond rapidly to intermittent energy sources, according to the Farmingdale report.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50!
Lulutox
Undo
ALSO READ:
No Kings protest takes toll: Trump's approval rating hits -6, marking sharpest drop in months
The PEM Electrolyser Problem
However, it's not a sustainable model because PEM electrolysers are very expensive and also require efficient catalysts that can resist corrosion in acid and therefore use platinum or iridium, which are rare and expensive metals, reported Farmingdale. It is used because iridium catalysts can prolong the oxygen conversion reaction and produce huge quantities of hydrogen, as per the report.
Live Events
Japan's Game-Changing Discovery
But now, researchers at Japan's RIKEN Institute discovered that there is a cheap material which is capable of doing the same thing, according to the report. Japanese researchers studied and used a common metal, manganese, and modified its three-dimensional structure to create the first efficient and sustainable
PEM electrolyser
without rare metals, as per the Farmingdale report.
According to the report, the researchers developed a manganese oxide (MnO2) catalyst by manipulating the lattice structure of the material to form stronger bonds with oxygen atoms. This improved MnO2 is even more stable than any other non-noble metal catalysts and even maintains the reaction with water for much longer, generating 1,000% more hydrogen, reported Farmingdale.
As per a study published in Nature Catalysis, MnO2 can increase the lifespan of other cheap catalysts by a factor of 40, reported Farmingdale. The researchers found that this material is more resistant to dissolution in acid and is also more stable during the reaction, Farmingdale. During the laboratory tests, the researchers found that the catalyst operated for more than 1,000 hours at 200 mA/cm² and produced 10 times more hydrogen than any other materials, as per Farmingdale.
Farmingdale wrote, "Future modifications to the manganese structure could further increase the current density supported by the material and the lifetime of the catalyst, with the long-term aim of making water electrolysis iridium-free."
FAQs
What did Japanese scientists discover?
They found a way to use manganese, a cheap and common metal, to replace expensive rare metals in hydrogen production, which will make the process more affordable and sustainable, as per the Farmingdale report.
Why is this important?
Because green hydrogen could be a key part of a
fossil-free energy
future, and Japan's discovery could help make it widely accessible.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bad news for NASA employees as Trump administration forced 3870 workers to...
Bad news for NASA employees as Trump administration forced 3870 workers to...

India.com

time24 minutes ago

  • India.com

Bad news for NASA employees as Trump administration forced 3870 workers to...

New Delhi: Washington: 3,870 employees will lose their jobs from the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These employees are going to resign under the Voluntary Resignation Program. Why did these employees resign? US President Donald Trump's administration has launched a programme to reduce the number of employees to cut the budget. Under this, employees have been asked to resign on their own instead of being fired from NASA. To comply with the Trump administration's goal of reducing the federal workforce, space agency NASA officials are taking the path of resignation to avoid layoffs. NASA is world's most prominent space agency. What did NASA say about resignations? At present, 3,870 employees have resigned from NASA. However, NASA has said in its statement on Friday, July 25, that this number may change after reviewing the applications. NASA has given employees two separate opportunities to leave the job in 2025. After both resignation programmes and about 500 people leaving their jobs in general, NASA will be left with about 14,000 employees. This is the second round of resignations The first round of resignations at NASA came in the early part of the Trump administration. This effort was driven by the government efficiency department DOGE led by Elon Musk. NASA launched its second round of deferred resignations in early June, giving a chance to join it till July 25. The agency said that 3,000 employees accepted it, which is 16.4 percent of the total workforce. NASA issues statement NASA has said in its statement that safety is our top priority. Along with becoming a more efficient organization, we are also ensuring that our capabilities for missions like Moon and Mars remain fully intact. However, experts believe that such a huge reduction in the number of employees may harm NASA's future missions and technical expertise.

China PM warns against a global AI 'monopoly'
China PM warns against a global AI 'monopoly'

Time of India

time42 minutes ago

  • Time of India

China PM warns against a global AI 'monopoly'

China PM warns against a global AI 'monopoly' China will spearhead the creation of an international organisation to jointly develop AI, the country's premier said, seeking to ensure that the world-changing technology doesn't become the province of just a few nations or companies. Artificial intelligence harbours risks from widespread job losses to economic upheaval that require nations to work together to address, Premier Li Qiang told the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Saturday. That means more international exchanges, Beijing's No 2 official said during China's most important annual technology summit. Li didn't name any countries in his short address to kick off the event. But Chinese executives and officials have taken aim at Washington's efforts to curtail the Asian country's tech sector, including by slapping restrictions on the export of Nvidia chips crucial to AI development. On Saturday, Li acknowledged a shortage of semiconductors was a major bottleneck, but reaffirmed President Xi Jinping's call to establish policies to propel Beijing's ambitions. The govt will now help create a body - loosely translated as the World AI Cooperation Organization - through which countries can share insights and talent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Female Athletes Right Now Undo "Currently, key resources and capabilities are concentrated in a few countries and a few enterprises. If we engage in technological monopoly, controls and restrictions, AI will become an exclusive game for a small number of countries and enterprises," Li told hundreds of delegates huddled at the conference venue on the banks of Shanghai's iconic Huangpu river. China and the US are locked in a race to develop a technology with the potential to turbocharge economies and - over the long run - tip the balance of geopolitical power. This week, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to loosen regulations and expand energy supplies for data centers - a call to arms to ensure companies like OpenAI and Google help safeguard America's lead in the post-ChatGPT era. At the same time, the breakout success of DeepSeek has inspired Chinese tech leaders and startups to accelerate research and roll out AI products. The weekend conference in Shanghai - gathering star founders, Beijing officials and deep-pocketed financiers by the thousands - is designed to catalyze that movement. The event, which has featured Elon Musk and Jack Ma in years past, was launched in 2018. This year's attendance may hit a record because it's taking place at a critical juncture in the global race to lead GenAI development. It's already drawn some notable figures: Nobel Prize laureate Geoffrey Hinton and former Google chief Eric Schmidt were among heavyweights who met Shanghai party boss Chen Jining Thursday, before they were due to speak at the event.

Bengaluru researchers develop durable sensor to detect explosives
Bengaluru researchers develop durable sensor to detect explosives

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Bengaluru researchers develop durable sensor to detect explosives

Bengaluru: A team of researchers from the city has developed a sensitive and durable sensor that can detect explosives such as TNT and RDX at trace levels, offering new possibilities for real-world use in security and pollution monitoring. As per the department of science and technology (DST), the innovation — based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) — overcomes long-standing limitations in the field by improving both sensitivity and long-term stability. The breakthrough was achieved by Jil Rose Perutil, S Prashanth, Channabasaveshwar V Yelamaggad, Pavan Nukala, and Neena S John from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute of DST. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru "The team engineered a multilayer nanomaterial combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanoparticles, and cerium oxide on a glass substrate — each layer serving a distinct role in improving performance," DST said. Silver, though excellent at amplifying molecular "fingerprint" signals essential for SERS, tends to degrade in humid or warm environments. A protective coating of cerium oxide solves this by shielding the silver layer from environmental wear while enhancing charge transfer, further boosting signal clarity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You Won't Believe the Price of These Dubai Apartments Binghatti Developers FZE Get Offer Undo The rGO layer, meanwhile, suppresses unwanted background fluorescence from silver, allowing the actual detection signal to stand out. "The researchers demonstrated the system's high sensitivity using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid as a model analyte and achieved detection limits as low as 10 nanomolar. More significantly, the same platform could detect explosives like TNT and RDX at similar nanomolar levels," DST said. Tests in environmental chambers confirmed that the sensor maintained high performance even in extreme conditions — 90% humidity and 7 °C — showcasing its potential for rugged, field-ready deployment. "Developed using a physical vapour deposition technique, the sensor's fabrication process is uniform and scalable, suggesting commercial promise. With its combination of durability, simplicity, and precision, the team says the platform could be used in airport screening systems, defence applications, or even environmental monitoring where detecting trace contaminants rapidly is critical," DST added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store