JNCASR researchers create a cost-effective, porous organic framework that efficiently generates hydrogen through piezocatalysis, paving the way for scalable, sustainable clean energy solutions.
In a pioneering advancement towards sustainable energy solutions, researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, have developed a novel, cost-effective, and metal-free porous organic catalyst that efficiently generates green hydrogen (H₂) by harnessing mechanical energy. This innovation presents a significant leap in the global pursuit of clean energy and aligns with the Government of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a vital clean energy alternative, producing only water as a by-product and eliminating direct carbon emissions. Among several production methods, water splitting stands out for its scalability and environmental compatibility. The new catalyst leverages piezocatalysis—a cutting-edge process that converts mechanical stress into electrical energy to catalyze water splitting—thus enabling sustainable hydrogen production without reliance on conventional fossil fuels or heavy metals.
Led by Professor Tapas K. Maji from the Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit at JNCASR, the research introduces a donor-acceptor based covalent-organic framework (COF), which exhibits unique ferrielectric (FiE) ordering. This innovative structure, built using the donor molecule tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (TAPA) and the acceptor pyromellitic dianhydride (PDA), facilitates an extraordinary charge transfer mechanism, enhancing its piezocatalytic performance.
Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the study highlights how the COF’s sponge-like porous design and strong internal electric fields outperform traditional inorganic catalysts, delivering ultra-high yields of hydrogen. The material’s propeller-shaped TAPA units and dipolar interactions contribute to the formation of an unusual and highly reactive electronic structure, efficiently generating electron-hole pairs under mechanical stimulation.
The interdisciplinary team included theoretical modeling support from Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare and contributions from Dr. Supriya Sahoo and Prof. Ramamoorthy Boomishankar (IISER Pune), as well as Prof. Jan K. Zaręba (Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland). Other key researchers from JNCASR involved in the study are Ms. Adrija Ghosh, Ms. Surabhi Menon, Dr. Sandip Biswas, and Dr. Anupam Dey.
This metal-free, high-efficiency COF system opens up new avenues for green hydrogen generation using mechanical energy, presenting a scalable, sustainable solution for the future of clean energy.