From Lab to Market: Affordable Clean Hydrogen via Non-Noble Catalysts

As the world transitions away from fossil fuels to mitigate the global warming crisis, hydrogen is gaining the limelight as the ‘fuel of the future.’

This is due to a number of reasons, including an abundance of water, higher energy yield, creating only water as a byproduct, and minimal or no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These qualities make clean hydrogen usable across a range of applications such as transportation, electricity generation, heating, and industry, including steel, chemicals, and cement. 

While hydrogen showcases huge potential in decarbonizing our society, most of the H2 produced today comes from fossil fuel (methane) itself, leading to substantial CO2 emissions. This means there is a need for scalable alternatives to produce green and clean hydrogen.

As a result, ongoing research is focusing on finding efficient and environment-friendly ways to produce hydrogen fuel. 

HER: A Promising Pathway for Green Hydrogen Production

One of the promising approaches to producing green hydrogen that has captured significant attention is water electrolysis.

A key reaction that occurs in the electrolysis of water for hydrogen production is the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a fundamental process in electrochemistry. 

Electrolysis of water is simply using electricity to split water into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2) gas, providing an efficient and clean way to produce hydrogen fuel on a large scale.

Thanks to its small Ohmic loss (which is the potential energy lost in the form of heat as the electric charges flow through a medium), high current density, and low gas crossover rate feature, extending the lab-scale HER process to commercial proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer provides a sustainable route to green hydrogen.

In PEM electrolysis, hydrogen is produced by splitting water using electricity and a solid polymer electrolyte. In this process, first, electricity is applied to separate water molecules into hydrogen ions (protons), electrons, and oxygen. Protons then move through the membrane, a proton-conducting polymer that separates the anode and cathode, while electrons travel through an external circuit.

At the anode, the water molecule is oxidized, producing only oxygen, protons, and electrons. At the cathode, protons and electrons combine to form hydrogen gas.

This method is utilized to produce hydrogen for fuel cells in addition to being employed in various industrial processes like fertilizer production, petroleum refining, and petrochemicals.

But the problem comes with rough working conditions, like the strong reductive acidic electrolyte-catalyst interface. This environment results in commercial PEM electrolyzers having to use Platinum (Pt) cathode, which isn’t abundant, hence is costly, in order to maintain high activity. 

The harsh conditions make such cathodes (based on non-precious metals) not suitable for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer.

The broad real-world application of PEM, which is on a terawatt scale, requires the need for cheap catalysts to replace noble metals. While the search for such non-precious metal-based cathodes that are fit for PEM commercialization is ongoing, it remains challenging.

Here, transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have shown promise as HER catalysts, but using them to replace noble metals is still in its infancy. A primary reason for this is the lack of understanding of tolerance under rough working conditions, as well as monitoring active site rotations during the hydrogen generation process.

Surface Reconstruction Strategy Produces Affordable Hydrogen Fuel

Recently, the use of CoP nanoparticles as cathodes has been reported to be readily integrated into industrial PEM water electrolyzers, showcasing their potential commercial applications. 

However, the problem is scaling up the HER reaction from a lab experiment to large-scale commercial production while keeping costs down, which the latest study has achieved.

According to findings published in Advanced Energy Materials¹ in April 2025, a team of researchers at Tohoku University has demonstrated the extended use of a CoP|F cathode (F-modified CoP) from lab-scale (0.2 cm²) to a commercial PEM electrolyzer (38 cm²).

While looking for superior HER performance, the researchers found that the surface reconstruction pathway can create long-lasting non-noble metal-based cathodes that improve the HER.

These cathodes are able to maintain their performance for over 300 hours. Additionally, the cost calculated by the team also came very close to the 2026 H2 production target set by the US Department of Energy, which is $2.00 per kg of H2.

To speed up the HER reaction, which is slow and inefficient by nature, the team turned to TMPs. Transition metal phosphides are a cost-effective and durable non-precious metal. It is a promising catalyst with a unique electronic structure and high catalytic activity, which improves the HER’s efficiency.

With noble metals typically used for this purpose, the researchers believe there’s a knowledge gap about non-noble metals that needs to be filled.

A non-noble metal catalyst refers to an alternative material that is cost-effective and abundantly available compared to noble metals. These non-noble metal catalysts provide adjustable reactivity, which means they can be modified as needed to boost stability, selectivity, and activity in different catalytic processes.

So, the team prepared the F-modified CoP and then used operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and Raman measurements to assess its various characteristics, such as surface reconstruction and true active sites.

The results confirmed that adding fluorine to the CoP1-x lattice can promote the breakage of Co-P bonds, resulting in the reconstruction of amorphous metallic Co. The formation of phosphorus (P) vacancy sites on the surface creates more active sites, which speeds up the HER.

The reconstructed surface exhibits high activity and tolerance in the reductive acidic electrolyte-catalyst interface. Notably, when used as a cathode in a commercial PEM electrolyzer, the CoP|F) cathode’s performance is comparable to the advanced Pt/C catalyst at a cost of just $2.17 per kgH2-1.

“This reconstructed Co is highly active, works in acidic conditions, and can maintain approximately 76 W for over 300 hours,” said Heng Liu, assistant professor at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR). “We’re getting close to an affordable method to produce fuel,” he added, noting the cost to be a mere 17 cents over the current production target set for 2026.

With these impressive results, the researchers hope to provide a surface-reconstruction route to highly efficient, cost-saving, and durable non-noble metal-based cathodes for commercial PEM electrolyzers. 

More importantly, the setup wasn’t just tested on a lab scale with three electrodes but was actually extended to a commercial scale. And with this rational design for brand new cathodes, which could act as the basis for other non-noble metal-based cathodes, the study potentially bridges the gap from laboratory to factory.

“We’re always thinking about the end goal, which is for research to make its way into everyday life. This advancement brings us one step closer to designing more realistic options for commercial PEM applications.”

– Liu

Advances in Clean Hydrogen Production

With hydrogen emerging as a promising clean and renewable energy source, a lot of focus is currently on the efficient production of hydrogen that can meet commercial-scale demand, with a greater interest in electricity-driven water splitting.

Water electrolysis can be divided into two reactions: the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), where water is reduced at the cathode to produce hydrogen, and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), where water is oxidized at the anode to produce O2. In both cases, catalysis plays a major role, creating a need for highly effective catalysts to produce H2 and O2 efficiently.

Just this month, in yet another research from the AIMR, Tohoku University, the researchers proposed a novel catalyst framework, offering a potential approach to inexpensive hydrogen production through water electrolysis. The focus here, however, was on OER.

The material focuses on mesoporous (porous materials with pore diameters in the 2–50 nm range) single-crystalline Co3O4 (cobalt(II, III) oxide) doped with atomically dispersed iridium (Ir), designed for the acidic OER.

While known for its OER performance, Ir is scarce and expensive. Also, efficiently using iridium while maintaining stability presents a challenge in the technology’s scale-up. So, the study presents a solution through a material that maximizes atomic-level efficiency.

Featuring a mesoporous spinel structure, the catalyst could have high Ir loading (13.8 wt%) without forming large iridium clusters, enabling the Co-Ir bridge sites to form. When under acidic OER conditions, these sites demonstrated high innate activity.

To analyze this, the research combined experimental data with computational modeling, which suggests that oxygen intermediates (O*) fully cover Co3O4 surfaces. This generally passivates Co sites, but Ir doping reactivates the sites while enhancing the structural integrity of the catalyst at the same time.

This study lowered the Ir and Co losses to about one-fourth and one-fifth, respectively. Furthermore, the catalyst maintained performance for more than 100 hours.

“Mesoporous architecture plays a crucial role. It provides space for single-atom Ir loading and helps create a stable environment for catalytic activity.”

– Study lead Professor Hao Li

The focus of future work will be on adjusting the doping level, scaling up their process, and then integrating it into commercial electrolyzer systems.

Another study looking into an economical iridium catalyst noted that analysis shows meeting the world’s hydrogen demand for transport using Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis (PEM-WE) requires iridium-based anode materials to be less than 0.05 mgIr/cm². However, the best catalysts currently available on the market, made from iridium oxide, contain about 40 times this.

The good thing is that solutions to this are already being developed. The Heraeus Group’s Kopernikus P2X project is creating a new, efficient iridium-based nanocatalyst, which is made of a thin layer of iridium oxide (IrO2) on a nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO₂) support.

The P2X catalyst exhibits remarkable stability even in long-term operation and performs better than the more crystalline benchmark.

Besides working on various techniques to make hydrogen production cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally friendly, researchers around the world are also exploring ways to store it efficiently, helping clean hydrogen achieve real-world adoption.

Earlier this year, a team of scientists with support from the U.S. Department of Energy demonstrated a new way to store and release volatile hydrogen. This addresses one of the major challenges of using hydrogen as a fuel source: the high cost and inefficiency of storage and transport due to its low density and explosive nature.

What scientists did here was develop a type of lignin-based jet fuel that can chemically bind hydrogen in a stable liquid form. This technology, according to Washington State University Professor Bin Yang, “could enable efficient, high-density hydrogen storage in an easy-to-handle sustainable aviation fuel, eliminating the need for pressurized tanks for storage and transport.”

The new process used chemical reactions that generated aromatic carbons and hydrogen from the lab-developed experimental lignin jet fuel. Found in plants, lignin is a natural polymer and the second most abundant material on Earth.

In the next steps, the researchers will design an AI-driven catalyst to improve the reactions, making them more efficient and cost-effective.

Innovative Company

Cummins Inc (CMI +0.23%)

The global power solutions provider, Cummins Inc., operates through various segments, including Engine, Components, Distribution, Power Systems, and Accelera. 

The company is extensively exploring and utilizing hydrogen engine technology to help build a sustainable future. Cummins first entered the hydrogen economy in 2019 with the acquisition of Hydrogenics, a manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers. Since then, it has made continuous progress.

This includes the launch of 15-L Hydrogen ICE and 15-L Natural Gas Engines. Cummins’ portfolio also includes hydrogen storage solutions and the development of fuel cell technology.

A couple of years ago, Accelera also started operations for electrolyzer production in Minnesota, its first U.S. electrolyzer production site.

“Large-scale electrolysis to produce green hydrogen is a key piece in the decarbonization of transportation and industry.”

– Accelera President Amy Davis at the time.

In March 2025, meanwhile, Cummins’ became a founding member of the Hydrogen Engine Alliance of North America (H2EA-NA), an initiative formed by experts in academia, government, and the transportation industry to promote hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) and its application in marine engines and on-road and off-road vehicles and equipment.

As for the company’s market performance, Cummins’ shares have been experiencing a strong upward trend for over two decades. This journey was marked by dips along the way, providing a nice opportunity for investors to buy. The almost 16% drawdown in Cummins’ shares so far this year could be taken the same way.

As of writing, CMI shares are trading at $294.16, which puts Cummins’ market capitalization at $40.38 billion. With that, it has an EPS (TTM) of 28.17, a P/E (TTM) of 10.41, and an ROE (TTM) of 41.27%. Interestingly, Cummins also offers a dividend yield of 2.48%, making it a potentially attractive investment opportunity. 

When it comes to financials, in 2024, a year the company called “transformative” for making “significant progress in advancing our Destination Zero strategy” and delivering “record results,” revenue was flat at $34.1 billion.

This was the result of sales in North America increasing by 1% despite recording a decrease in demand for heavy-duty trucks, and international revenues dropping by 1% compared to the previous year. A reason for this was Atmus Filtration Technologies (ATMU +0.7%), which separated from Cummins (CMI +0.23%) last year to become a fully independent company. Additionally, Accelera underwent reorganization, which resulted in charges due to the decision to streamline operations and focus investments.

Cummins’ net income for the full year 2024 was $3.9 billion, or $28.37 per diluted share, which increased significantly due to the gain related to Atmus’ separation.

For this year, Cummins projects its revenue to be in the range of down 2% to up 3% due to “slightly weaker” demand anticipated in North America. Still, the company shared a commitment to its long-term strategic goal of returning 50% of operating cash flow back to shareholders.

In 2024, Cummins actually increased its common stock cash dividend for the 15th straight year, returning $969 million to shareholders through dividends.

Other developments made by the company this past year include the introduction of the Cummins HELM (Higher Efficiency, Lower Emissions and Multiple Fuels) engine platform implemented throughout its B, X10, and X15-series engine portfolios and the launch of a new engine just for Japanese automaker Isuzu’s new line of medium-duty trucks.

Moreover, Accelera, EVE Energy, Daimler Trucks & Buses, and PACCAR formed their joint venture called Amplify Cell Technologies to localize battery cell production and the battery supply chain in the US. Amplify has already begun construction on a 21 GWh factory, aiming to start production in 2027.

Latest on Cummins Inc.

Conclusion

A promising alternative to fossil fuels is clean hydrogen. This critical component of the global decarbonization strategy offers high energy density, non-polluting byproducts, and versatility across various sectors, making it crucial to develop cost-effective methods for hydrogen production.

PEM electrolysis is one such approach that can help advance the world’s energy transition efforts. Here, Tohoku University researchers replace expensive platinum catalysts with surface-engineered non-precious metal alternatives, marking a key step in making clean hydrogen commercially viable.

Its cost benefits that are near the U.S. DOE’s cost target, and scaling up the CoP|F cathode in real-world PEM electrolyzers show that we are potentially unlocking clean hydrogen as a mass-market solution for global energy needs!

Click here to learn why hydrogen may still be the fuel of the future. 

Studies Referenced:

1. ​Wu, R., Liu, H., Xu, J., Qu, M.-R., Qin, Y.-Y., Zheng, X.-S., Zhu, J.-F., Li, H., Su, X.-Z., & Yu, S.-H. (2025). Surface reconstruction activates non-noble metal cathode for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer. Advanced Energy Materials, 15(10), 2405846. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202405846