One electricity, two uses; one water, double gains. Chinese researchers have made a breakthrough in the technology of hydrogen production and magnesium extraction from seawater.

In response to the high cost challenge of hydrogen production through electrolyzing water, Hainan University, in collaboration with the Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Ningbo, has made a breakthrough in the technology of direct electrolysis of natural seawater to produce hydrogen and magnesium simultaneously, significantly reducing the cost of hydrogen production. On December 12, Beijing time, the related research results were published in the international academic journal "Nature Communications". Researchers have developed a new type of electrode similar to a "non-stick pan", by adding iodide ions to the surface of the platinum electrode, utilizing electrostatic repulsion to keep the magnesium hydroxide generated in the hydrogen evolution reaction in seawater away from the electrode surface and precipitate it into the solution, effectively preventing scaling on the electrode surface. Currently, the prototype of the seawater electrolysis magnesium production engineering developed by the research team can operate steadily in natural seawater for more than 5000 hours.