Scientists at the University of the Western Cape have developed low-cost materials that could significantly reduce the cost of producing green hydrogen for clean energy applications.
Hydrogen is widely regarded as a critical clean energy carrier for reducing carbon emissions. Produced by splitting water using renewable electricity, green hydrogen offers zero emissions, with water as its only byproduct when used in fuel cells.
However, large-scale hydrogen production through electrolysis remains expensive because it relies on rare and costly platinum group metals. Finding affordable and widely available alternatives has become a priority for researchers worldwide.
In research published in the Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, a team from UWC’s SensorLab, working with collaborators from the University of Limpopo, University of Cape Town and Tshwane University of Technology, developed a platinum group metal-free electrocatalyst using common, low-cost materials.
The researchers combined molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), HKUST-1 metal organic framework and polyaniline, a conductive plastic-like polymer, to create a compound that accelerates hydrogen production in an energy-efficient way.
Laboratory tests confirmed that the materials bonded successfully and conducted electricity effectively. Researchers say this is the first time these compounds have been successfully integrated, demonstrating a viable alternative to expensive metal catalysts currently used in hydrogen production.
In complementary research published in Discover Materials, scientists further investigated how polyaniline and modified versions of the material performed in the hydrogen evolution reaction, a key chemical process in hydrogen production.
The research was led by Dr Kabelo Ramohlola as part of his PhD, supervised by Prof Emmanuel Iwuoha and co-supervised by Dr Miranda Ndipingwi and Prof Kwena Modibane from the University of Limpopo. The team used various laboratory techniques to examine the structure and performance of the materials.
The results showed that the modified plastic materials maintained their structural integrity and performed efficiently, suggesting strong potential for practical application. One copolymer integrated with HKUST-1 and MoS2 stood out, producing hydrogen more efficiently than standard materials.
Dr Ramohlola said the findings are significant for South Africa, a leading producer of platinum group metals, as hydrogen produced using these metals remains substantially more expensive than grey hydrogen derived from natural gas.
“Production of low-cost cathode materials for hydrogen production is therefore crucial, as it aims at reducing the overall cost and improving the sustainability of the technology beyond the depletion of PGMs,” he said.
“Research in hydrogen energy and hydrogen production in particular is of great importance for a sustainable future as it aims to create a clean, abundant energy carrier that can replace fossil fuels, decarbonise heavy industries, power transport, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions ultimately leading to energy independence and a low-carbon economy.”
Dr Ramohlola, who currently works as a Senior Laboratory Assistant at the University of Limpopo, is among the newest graduates of SensorLab, which celebrated surpassing 100 PhD graduates in December 2025.
Hailing from Sekgosese Village in Roerfontein, Limpopo, Dr Ramohlola overcame significant hardship after losing his father during his first year at university.
“In 2011, at the start of the second semester during my first year, I lost my dad, who was the pillar of our family,” he said. “From then on, we had to survive on my mother’s salary as a domestic worker and my grandmother’s social grant.”
He credited a bursary from the Greater Letaba Municipality for enabling him to complete his studies.
“That support removed much of the burden from my shoulders and allowed me to focus fully on my studies,” he said.
Reflecting on the milestone, he added: “I am very much grateful to be part of this achievement and for being one of the graduates who made it possible for the laboratory to be counted as one of the best.”
