PI message

In order to achieve zero emissions and put a brake on global climate change, we must break away from carbonaceous chemical processes consuming petroleum resources and realize new “manufacturing” chemistry utilizing water, air, and related natural resources with renewable energy. In fact, gaseous water, i.e. steam can be electrolyzed as well as liquid water, and moreover, the voltage needed for the electrolysis of the former is much lower than that for the later. Hence steam electrolysis can produce ‘green’ hydrogen while minimizing the consumption of electricity generated from natural energy. In the Electronic Materials Chemistry Laboratory, we have developed a “steam electrolysis cell” that efficiently produces hydrogen from steam using electric power from renewable energy with waste heat. We are also working on the development of a “co-electrolytic cell” that produces useful compounds such as CO and NH₃ by electrochemically reacting the green hydrogen with CO₂ and N₂ gases. The potential of the renewable energy power generation in Japan is speculated to be equivalent to twice the current total power generation in Japan. This situation indicates the energy chemists have a great opportunity to make an innovation and lead the world’s GX.