IIT Guwahati researchers has developed new solar-driven water splitting technology achieves 51% higher hydrogen production and could improve durability of next-generation clean energy systems
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have developed an advanced composite coating technology that significantly improves the efficiency and durability of solar-driven water splitting systems used for green hydrogen production, marking a major step forward in clean energy research.
The breakthrough study, published in the international journal Small, was led by Prof. Uttam Manna and Prof. Mohammad Qureshi from the Department of Chemistry at IIT Guwahati, along with Dr. Hrisikesh Sarma and a team of research scholars.
Green hydrogen is increasingly being viewed as a critical solution for reducing global dependence on fossil fuels and achieving carbon neutrality.
Unlike conventional hydrogen production methods that generate significant greenhouse gas emissions, green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable energy sources such as sunlight.
One of the most promising approaches for this process is the Photo-Assisted Electrochemical (PAEC) water-splitting system. However, existing PAEC technologies face major technical barriers, including catalyst layer degradation and gas bubble accumulation on electrode surfaces, both of which reduce efficiency and long-term durability.
To overcome these challenges, the IIT Guwahati team designed a novel composite coating by integrating graphitic carbon nitride, a two-dimensional photocatalyst, within a bubble-repellent hydrogel matrix supported on porous nickel foam.
Unlike conventional systems where photocatalysts are coated directly onto electrode surfaces, the IIT Guwahati researchers embedded the catalyst inside the coating structure itself. According to the research team, this approach protects the catalyst from peeling off during reactions while simultaneously increasing the electrochemically active surface area available for water splitting.
The new coating architecture also improves the removal of gas bubbles from electrode surfaces, preventing blockage of catalytic sites and enhancing hydrogen and oxygen generation performance.
Laboratory tests demonstrated significant performance gains compared to traditional photocatalyst coating methods. The developed composite coating achieved:
- 51% higher hydrogen production
- 44% higher oxygen production
Speaking about the findings, Prof. Uttam Manna from IIT Guwahati said the incorporation of graphitic carbon nitride within a highly bubble-repellent matrix improved bubble departure frequency and significantly enhanced photo-assisted electrochemical water-splitting performance.
He added that the strategy could be adapted for several other catalysts in the future to further advance green hydrogen production technologies.
The researchers believe the innovation could support the development of next-generation renewable energy systems, particularly in large-scale solar-to-fuel conversion technologies and sustainable energy storage applications.
Prof. Mohammad Qureshi said the next phase of research would focus on replacing hydrogels with more advanced photocatalysts, scaling the coating system for larger electrodes, and integrating the technology into practical solar hydrogen production devices.
The research received grant support from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, and the Ministry of Education.
The research team also acknowledged Prof. P. K. Iyer and Himangshu Baishya for technical support in AFM and photoluminescence characterisation studies.
Researchers clarified that the technology is currently at the laboratory stage and requires further validation before commercial deployment. However, the study represents an important milestone in advancing efficient and durable green hydrogen production systems as countries worldwide accelerate efforts toward clean energy transition and net-zero emission goals.