UK-based advanced materials technology company Oxford Nanosystems has launched a new type of coating capable of driving down green hydrogen costs by increasing the production capacity of alkaline electrolysers by 50pc.

The advanced metallic-alloy coating, called Nanoflux, is applied to the electrodes and promotes the formation and release of gas bubbles within the electrolyser. This enhances the overall efficiency of the process. The coating has been combined with a proprietary catalyst that accelerates the hydrogen generation reaction, the company says.

“The company is working with a number of leading electrolyser manufacturers to test and, in due course, scale up the production of Nanoflux” Russell, Oxford Nanosystems

An independent assessment conducted by E4Tech, part of global sustainable energy technologies consulting firm ERM, has confirmed the cost-benefits provided by Nanoflux.

“We are delighted with the results of the external benchmarking analysis that demonstrate the potential of Nanoflux,” says Ian Russell, CEO of Oxford Nanosystems. “The company is working with a number of leading electrolyser manufacturers to test and, in due course, scale up the production of Nanoflux to meet the challenge of significantly reducing the cost of green hydrogen production”.

Founded in 2012 to develop an invention by a leading scientist from the University of Oxford, Oxford Nanosystems has been researching, developing and optimising its coating technologies for several years. A new round of investment in 2018 enabled the company to move to a new facility in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, where it installed and commissioned a pilot production plant in 2019. Its shareholders include the UK’s state-backed bank Future Fund.

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Author: Stuart Penson