Sunlight and seawater power new hydrogen breakthrough at CSIR-IICT

Scientists at the Hyderabad-based CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) have taken a significant step towards converting sunlight and seawater into clean hydrogen fuel by developing a low-cost copper-based photocatalyst that could reduce reliance on expensive precious metals and make green hydrogen production more affordable.Hydrogen is widely regarded as a clean fuel of the future because it can generate energy without producing carbon emissions. The research team, led by scientist Ujjwal Pal and research scholar Bhavya Jaksani, investigated a copper-titanium dioxide photocatalyst and found that its structure continuously evolves during the reaction process. Under sunlight, both copper and titanium sites change their oxidation states, enhancing the catalyst’s ability to