LG Chem Doubles Lifespan of Core Electrode for Green Hydrogen Production

Reducing Iridium Usage While Maintaining Performance at High Current Density
Large-Area Electrode Production Validated... Increased Commercialization Potential

LG Chem has developed a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis electrode technology that enables long-term stable hydrogen production, even with low amounts of iridium (Ir).

On July 26, LG Chem announced that its CTO-led Platform Technology Laboratory research team has developed an interfacial stabilization technology that dramatically enhances the performance and durability of PEM water electrolysis electrodes.

Core materials and components for water electrolysis by LG Chem (from left): water electrolysis cell, iridium catalyst, electrode, membrane electrode assembly (MEA). LG Chem

Koh Jaehyun, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), and his research team participated in elucidating the mechanism of action for the developed materials. The research results were published on July 21 in Nature Communications, one of the world’s top academic journals.

Green hydrogen is considered a key energy source for achieving a decarbonized society. It is produced by splitting water with electricity generated from renewable sources, and environmentally friendly water electrolysis technology enables this process. In particular, PEM water electrolysis is being highlighted as a next-generation green hydrogen production technology due to its higher hydrogen productivity and excellent output responsiveness compared to alkaline water electrolysis.

However, PEM water electrolysis electrodes use iridium catalyst, a costly and rare metal. There has been a limitation that reducing the amount of iridium can lead to catalyst dissolution or electrode structural damage, which may result in decreased performance during long-term operation.

LG Chem addressed these challenges with its catalyst interfacial stabilization technology. By applying an atomically thin coating layer on the surface of the iridium catalyst, the technology suppresses iridium dissolution caused by excessive oxidation and, at the same time, strengthens the bonding with the ion-conducting polymers inside the electrode, thereby enhancing structural stability.

As a result, LG Chem succeeded in reducing iridium usage by more than half compared to existing methods, while extending stable hydrogen production time under high current density conditions to more than double the previous duration. This is expected to contribute to reducing both the initial investment and maintenance costs for PEM water electrolysis systems.

Building on its proprietary electrode technology, LG Chem completed the fabrication and performance verification of large-area electrodes using a continuous process, thereby confirming the potential for mass production and commercialization.

Kim Noma, Executive Vice President and head of the Platform Technology Laboratory at LG Chem and a co-author of the study, stated that they are currently conducting product evaluations with multiple global water electrolysis system companies and will continue to develop the technology with the goal of commercializing the electrode products.

Shim Kyuseok, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Vice President at LG Chem, commented, “This research result is a case where LG Chem's materials technology competitiveness has been globally recognized,” and added, “We will continue to expand related R&D efforts to secure competitive advantages in next-generation hydrogen production technologies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.