The Application of Wood as a Nature-Derived Separator in Alkaline Water Electrolyzers with Capillary-Fed Electrolysis Cell Format

Green hydrogen, generated through the electrolysis of water using electricity, has garnered significant attention from researchers for its potential to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and make a substantial contribution to mitigating global warming. Despite its promise, the widespread adoption of green hydrogen faces challenges in competing with fossil fuels, primarily due to the average energy efficiency and significant capital costs associated with traditional water electrolyzers. To tackle these hurdles, a novel approach to water electrolysis has been introduced, incorporating sustainable materials for separators and leveraging capillary-induced transport to deliver water to hydrogen- and oxygen-evolving electrodes along a porous inter-electrode separator. This method ensures bubble-free operation at the electrodes. Furthermore, the development of sustainable separator materials aims to reduce reliance on plastic polymers like polyether sulfone (PES) and instead utilize biomass, including rice husk, fly ash, wood, etc. In this study, wood xylem coated with gold as a catalyst via a sputtering method will serve as an inter-electrode separator in capillary-fed electrolysis (CFE) cells, capitalizing on its capillary actions.