Low-Temperature Water Electrolyzers: From Catalyst Development to Cell Testing

• Grant number: 25/13894-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Lucia Helena Mascaro Sales
• Grantee: Nathan dos Santos Moreira
• Supervisor: Fabian Scheepers
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 25/05707-2 - Electrodeposition of an alloy based on Ni, Co, and P for water electrolysis applications., BP.MS

Abstract

Alkaline water electrolysis represents a promising electrochemical route for thesustainable generation of hydrogen gas (H2) with low carbon emissions. Within thisframework, transition metal phosphides obtained via electrodeposition have emergedas economically viable alternatives to noble metal-based catalysts for promoting thehydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER). Herein, as part of ongoingresearch in electrocatalysis, this BEPE research project aims to expand the applicant'sknowledge and technical skills by bridging catalyst development with applied waterelectrolyzer technologies, especially membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs). Theproject will focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of the design, operation, andperformance of low-temperature water electrolyzers. The proposed internship will beconducted at the Institute of Energy Technologies, a division of ElectrochemicalProcess Engineering (IET-4) at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, under thesupervision of Dr. Fabian Scheepers.