We continue our Cohort 1 film series with Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero CDT researcher Soorya, who is exploring how green hydrogen can be produced directly from seawater – without costly purification or harmful byproducts.
Traditional electrolysis requires purified water, which limits hydrogen production in regions with scarce freshwater. Seawater offers a vast alternative, but its corrosive nature and chlorine gas formation pose major technical challenges.
Soorya’s research at Cranfield University focuses on developing efficient electrocatalysts using earth-abundant transition metals that selectively produce hydrogen and oxygen in harsh seawater conditions. By tuning material properties and working at the nanoscale, his work aims to reduce energy use, avoid side reactions, and lower costs compared to platinum-based systems.
This research is crucial for scaling up green hydrogen production globally – supporting decarbonisation, conserving freshwater, and making clean energy more accessible in coastal and water-stressed regions.