Projects

National

NOEL – Neušľachtilé katalyzátory pre efektívne štiepenie vody v pokročilých elektrolyzéroch
Non-Noble Electrocatalysts for Efficient Water Splitting in Advanced Electrolyzers
Program:	Plán obnovy EÚ
Project leader:	RNDr. Strečková Magdaléna, PhD.
Annotation:	Human society is facing today significant challenges related to the climate changes induced by an intensive industrialization of economy and high carbon dioxide release to the atmosphere. In order to minimize important negative consequences of this phenomenon developed societies call for decarbonization of our economy and searching for alternative sources of energy, as well as raw materials for the industry. Here, hydrogen (H2) as the simplest and most abundant element in the universe can play an important role in a transition to a low-carbon economy. Green H2 – also referred to as “clean H2” is produced by using clean energy from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power through a process called electrolysis. During electrolysis, water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen molecules, and the hydrogen thus prepared can be consumed immediately or stored and used when needed. The main goal of this project is to contribute to economic viability of the green hydrogen production by reducing costs of electrocatalysts in future electrolyzes and fuel cells. This target will be achieved by the synthesis of the innovative non-noble metal electrocatalysts based on transition metal phosphides as the main components to proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. The key task will be devoted to the development of bifunctional electrode materials for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction with emphasis on maintaining low costs and high efficiency suitable for commercial applications. Completion of this target will help maintaining competitiveness in energetic industry in the starting period of economy decarbonization.
Duration:	1.9.2024 – 31.8.2026

HERO – Elektrokatalyzátory pre efektívnu produkciu vodíka pre budúce elektrolyzéry a palivové články
Hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts for future electrolyser and fuel cells
Program:	SRDA
Project leader:	RNDr. Strečková Magdaléna, PhD.
Annotation:	The development of activities in the field of hydrogen technologies was also supported by the EuropeanCommission in the strategic document "Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate Neutral Europe". Today, Slovakia hassuggested own national hydrogen strategy. Already in 2015, the National Hydrogen Association has founded tosupport research, implementation and use of hydrogen technologies. The Hydrogen Technology Center is beingestablished in Košice with the main "Power-to-Gas" concept using renewable power energy sources with nonegative impact on human life and without dependence on fossil fuels. A significant source of hydrogen is waterand the electrolysis of water is the most promising technology for hydrogen production. However, before it can berecognized as an economically significant resource for large scale application with an exceptional energy potential,the simple, efficient, and secure methods of hydrogen retrieval have to be developed. For the time being, the mostefficient electrocatalysts in terms of overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are noble metals.Unfortunately the high cost and scarcity of noble metals motivate the scientists to find the rival low-costalternatives. Intrinsic structures of TMP meet the criteria of outstanding electrocatalysts that could further improve their HER performance in membrane electrode assembly. Excellent dispersity of electrocatalysts allows full use ofactive sites on catalysts to participate in electrode reaction to improve the electrocatalytic efficiency. Therefore, themain challenge in this project is to reduce the production cost of HER and at the same time to maintain the highefficiency of polymer electrode water electrolysis. Substantial aim of the project will be devoted to improve the PEM water electrolysis components mainly electrode materials based on modified carbon fibers electrocatalysts result in the technology which should be more approached to commercial markets.
Duration:	1.7.2021 – 30.6.2025

Fosfidy prechodných kovov pre elektrolytický rozklad vody
–
Program:	DoktoGrant
Project leader:	Ing. Bera Cyril, PhD.
Duration:	1.1.2023 – 31.12.2023

Vývoj elektródového materiálu na báze uhlíkových vlákien dopovaných fosfidmi kovov pre elektrokatalýzu vodíka.
Development of electrode materials based carbon fibers doped with metal phosphides for electrocatalysis of hydrogen evolution reaction.
Program:	VEGA
Project leader:	RNDr. Strečková Magdaléna, PhD.
Annotation:	Hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources is considered to be a fuel of the future that has the potentialto reduce the energy dependence of developed countries on oil imports and to improve the quality of human life.Hydrogen produced from electrolysis of water could be a sustainable source of energy. However the simple,efficient, and secure methods of hydrogen retrieval must be developed before it can be recognized as aneconomically significant resource with an exceptional energy potential. The project is devoted to the preparationof new catalysts for the effective hydrogen evolution from water. The porous carbon fibers modified with metallicnanoparticles and metallic phosphide nanoparticles will be prepared by needle-less elektrospinning technologyfrom the free surface of polymers, to catalyze the production of hydrogen at low overpotential.The outcomes ofthe project will be design of a compact electrode composed of modified carbon fibers that would effectivelycatalyse hydrogen evolution.
Duration:	1.1.2020 – 31.12.2022