The College of Engineering at Seoul National University announced on the 2nd that Professor Kim Seong-jae's research team from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has developed an energy recovery-type purification system that simultaneously produces purified water and hydrogen. This technology is implemented by integrating existing desalination and water electrolysis systems to reduce energy loss.

The research team developed this system as a modular small device, which can be expanded into a large device by assembling multiple modules. They explained that it has potential applications in environments with limited infrastructure, such as disaster sites and inside spacecraft, where water and energy need to be secured simultaneously. This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Seoul National University Energy Initiative (SNUEI) and was published online in the international academic journal 'Communication Materials (Nature Portfolio)' in the field of materials science.

Professor Kim's team developed a purified water-hydrogen simultaneous production platform utilizing the 'Ion Concentration Polarization (ICP)' phenomenon to achieve simultaneous water purification and hydrogen production. They explained that this phenomenon using a cation exchange membrane allows for the simultaneous removal of salt and generation of hydrogen in a single module.

The core principle involves passing a current through a cation exchange membrane, where on one side, water with removed salt and contaminants is generated, and on the other side, hydrogen ions gain electrons and convert into hydrogen gas. The research team manufactured a microfluidic device to simultaneously observe the generation of purified water and hydrogen bubble formation, confirming hydrogen production at a level of several mL per hour and stable purified water production in a mesoscale device made with a 3D printer.

The research results indicated that about 10% of the electrical energy was recovered in the form of hydrogen, and the hydrogen production tended to increase linearly as the current increased. They also confirmed the possibility of seawater-based applications as purified water was stably generated even in high-concentration saline environments.

This system operates with a single membrane structure, unlike conventional electrodialysis or reverse osmosis methods, and functions without high-pressure pumps. The device's simple and lightweight structure allows for expansion into portable and decentralized purification devices.

The researchers suggested the possibility of recycling part of the energy used in the water purification process by recovering it as hydrogen. They stated that it is possible to recover 8-10% of the energy that was previously consumed in ion concentration polarization desalination technology. Supplying the generated hydrogen to a fuel cell could develop into an energy self-sufficient purification device that produces some of its own power.

Professor Kim Seong-jae stated, "The significance lies in demonstrating the possibility of simultaneously solving water and energy issues with a single system, moving away from the traditional approach of handling them separately," and added, "We plan to develop the technology into a platform that can be utilized in disaster sites or space environments by miniaturizing and modularizing it."

Dr. Ha Seung-jae, co-corresponding author from Prova Labs, remarked, "It is significant as a case of applying nanoelectrohydrodynamic technology to actual hydrogen production and desalination," and added, "It will form the foundation for sustainable water and energy self-sufficient technology in the future."

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