Study shows a much cheaper catalyst can generate hydrogen in a commercial device

Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have shown, for the first time, that a cheap catalyst can split water and generate hydrogen gas for hours on end in the harsh environment of a commercial device. The reactions that generate hydrogen and oxygen gas take place on different electrodes using different precious metal catalysts. In this case, the scientists replaced the platinum catalyst on the hydrogen-generating side with a catalyst consisting of cobalt phosphide nanoparticles deposited on carbon to form a fine black powder.