Electrochemical Hydrogen Production from Coal and Water

Electrochemical hydrogen production from coal and water combines the abundant carbon feedstock of coal with electrolysis techniques to generate hydrogen while managing carbon emissions. In this process, coal is either converted to a syngas mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen via gasification or introduced directly as a carbon particulates slurry into an electrochemical cell. Water is split at the cathode to yield hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions, while carbon at the anode is oxidised to carbon dioxide. Advances in high‐temperature solid oxide electrolysers allow co‐electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide, boosting efficiency by exploiting thermal energy. Alternative approaches use gas diffusion electrodes to facilitate direct conversion of pulverised coal in aqueous media, reducing pre‐processing. Integration with in situ carbon capture or membrane separation can sequester CO₂ streams for utilisation or storage. This route offers a pathway to decarbonise hydrogen supply chains in coal‐rich regions, support industrial feedstocks and enable transition technologies pending full deployment of renewable electricity.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the viability of solid oxide cells operating at temperatures above 800 °C to co‐electrolyse steam and CO₂ derived from coal gasification. Lab‐scale devices incorporating ceramic oxygen‐ion conductors achieved hydrogen yields exceeding 75 per cent of theoretical maximum, with improved longevity through doped perovskite anodes resisting carbon deposition. Another investigation introduced a mixed ion–electron conducting membrane that simultaneously produces hydrogen and separates CO₂ in a single step; this design enhanced overall energy efficiency by recovering waste heat. Work on gas diffusion electrodes has shown that incorporating nickel–ceria catalysts into a porous carbon matrix can directly electrolyse coal–water slurries with a twofold increase in current density compared with unmodified electrodes, while mitigating electrode fouling through dynamic gas–liquid interfaces.

Electrochemical Hydrogen Production from Coal and Water publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical hydrogen production from coal and water across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC): A high‐temperature electrochemical device that splits water and carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon monoxide using a ceramic electrolyte.

Gas diffusion electrode: A porous electrode that allows gaseous reactants and ionic conductors to meet at a three‐phase boundary, enhancing reaction rates in slurry electrolysis.

Co‐electrolysis: Simultaneous electrochemical reduction of water and carbon dioxide to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a single cell.

Carbon deposition: Unwanted accumulation of solid carbon on electrode surfaces, which can block active sites and reduce cell performance.

Slurry electrolyser: An electrolysis system in which solid carbon feedstock is suspended in a liquid electrolyte and directly converted to gases at electrodes.