BRICS countries explore the prospects for palladium in hydrogen power generation, By Ayanda Holo, President of TV BRICS AFRICA

The 6th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Materials Science and Nanotechnology, held in Ekaterinburg from August 27 to 30, 2024, brought together over 50 scientists from BRICS nations, including Russia, China, Brazil, India, Egypt, UAE, and South Africa. The event, coordinated by Russia, focused on advancing materials science and nanotechnology, with a particular emphasis on the potential of palladium in hydrogen energy. Researchers highlighted palladium's promising role in hydrogen power generation, especially in its nanostructured form when combined with other platinoids. Palladium-based materials and alloys were recognized for their potential to reduce production costs and scale up hydrogen technologies within the BRICS countries. Notable projects showcased included palladium-based materials for hydrogen-air fuel cells and membranes for producing high-purity hydrogen. These developments were praised for their potential to outperform existing Western technologies and drive further innovation in hydrogen energy. The meeting underscored the collaborative efforts among BRICS nations in advancing hydrogen technologies, with palladium emerging as a key component in simplifying and enhancing the catalytic processes in hydrogen energy production. The event highlighted the commitment of BRICS countries to foster cooperation and innovation in this critical area of energy development.

The 6th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Materials Science and Nanotechnology was held in Ekaterinburg from August 27 to 30, 2024. Russia coordinated the event, in which more than 50 scientists from Russia, China, Brazil, India, Egypt, UAE, and South Africa participated.

During the meeting, researchers from the BRICS countries presented reports on the best scientific and technological practices in materials science and nanotechnology and discussed trends and prospects for modern materials.

The potential of palladium in the field of hydrogen energy was identified as a new priority research area during the meeting. The participants highlighted that palladium in the nanostructured state, in combination with other platinoids, demonstrates superior characteristics required in hydrogen power engineering. This promising development of palladium-based materials and alloys can significantly reduce the cost of production and accelerate the scaling up of hydrogen technologies in the BRICS countries, offering a bright future for hydrogen power generation.

«Palladium is a unique metal of its group. Due to its properties, this precious metal can become an effective alternative to more expensive PGMs. This is proved by the results of tests of new promising materials for hydrogen energy presented at the meeting», - commented Prof. Kyriaki Polychronopoulou, director of the Center for Catalysis and Purification.

Two successful projects in this field were presented at the event - palladium-based materials for hydrogen-air fuel cells (FC PEM) and membranes for extracting hydrogen from a gas mixture and producing high-purity hydrogen. The researchers reported that the test results demonstrate a high potential for applying the technology on an industrial scale and a significant increase in the efficiency of the products compared to existing Western analogues based on other metals, inspiring further advancements in the field.

«Our research shows that the use of palladium in hydrogen energy production simplifies and speeds up the catalytic process and requires less energy. R&D and testing of palladium-based hydrogen projects are conducted jointly with leading universities in the BRICS countries. This collaborative effort ensures that our joint projects become the basis for fruitful cooperation and exchange of experience in hydrogen innovation, making everyone a part of the global effort to advance hydrogen technologies», - said Sergey Saltykov, head of research and development at the Palladium Center.

BRICS is an interstate association of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joined BRICS.

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