• Bulletin of the Korea Photovoltaic Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.22-28
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• 2021

최근 잇따라 발생하고 있는 이상 기후로 탄소 중립에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다. 우리나라 정부도 신재생에너지 중심의 에너지 전환과 수소 경제 활성화에 대한 정책을 연일 발표하면서 많은 국책 과제들이 추진되고 있다. 잉여 재생에너지를 수소 가스로 변환하여 저장했다가 필요할 때 다시 전기로 사용하거나, 수소 가스 자체를 타 산업에 활용할 수 있게 해주는 핵심 기술이 수전해 기술이다. 다양한 수전해 기술 중에 PEM 수전해 기술은 재생에너지의 빠른 변동에 신속하게 대응할 수 있어 재생에너지 확산과 더불어 최근 높은 관심을 받고 있는 기술이다. 그러나 비싼 촉매와 내부식성이 필요한 핵심 부품들이 국산화 되어 있지 않아 장치의 가격이 높은 상황이다. 그에 따라 아직은 수전해를 통해 생산된 수소 단가가 다른 기술을 통해 생산된 수소들 보다 가격이 높아 상업화가 더디게 진행되고 있다. 그러나 정밀 가공, 열처리, 코팅 등의 뿌리 기술들을 이용하면 PEM 수전해기의 핵심 부품인 bipolar plate나 end plate, 분리판 등을 국산화 하여 수소 생산 단가를 낮출 수 있는 여지는 충분하다. 탄소 중립에 반드시 필요한 그린 수소가 가격 경쟁력을 확보할 수 있도록 산업간 기술 협력이 절실한 시점이다.

• Prospectives of Industrial Chemistry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.1-21
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• 2021

화석연료의 과도한 사용으로 유발된 기후변화 문제를 해결하기 위해 대체에너지의 개발에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있는 가운데 재생가능하며 친환경적인 수소에너지가 실현가능한 궁극적 대안으로 주목받고 있다. 다양한 수소 생산 기술 중 물의 전기분해를 이용한 수전해 기술은 온실가스와 같은 오염물질을 배출하지 않으며 재생에너지와 연계하여 미이용 전력을 대용량 장주기로 저장할 수 있다는 장점이 있다. 수전해 장치는 수소와 산소를 발생하는 전극과 기체의 섞임을 방지하고 이온을 전달하는 분리막으로 구성되며 그 중 분리막은 수전해 장치의 효율과 안정성을 결정짓는 핵심 부품이다. 본 총설에서는 수전해 기술 중 저온 수전해에 해당하는 알칼라인 수전해(alkaline water electrolysis), 고분자전해질막 수전해(polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis)와 음이온교환막 수전해(anion exchange membrane water electrolysis)에 사용되는 분리막에 대한 특성을 분석하고 최근 연구 동향에 대해서 다루고자 한다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.33-38
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• 2019

In order to invigoration the hydrogen economy, production of hydrogen needed for hydrogen charging stations and hydrogen fuel cells is needed. Generally, it is reforming used to coal fuel or natural gas. Other technologies include water electrolysis using pure water. Among these water electrolysis technologies, development is mainly carried out using PEM(Polymer Electrolyte Membrane electrolysis). In this study, the company aims to identify potential harmful hazards to PEM electrolysis hydrogen stations in the development stage among hydrogen charging stations. In order to find the hazardous factors in the facilities of the electrolysis and hydrogen charging stations, we were analyzed by Failure Mode & Effect Analysis(FMEA).

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.32-41
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• 2021

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.283-291
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• 2022

Hydrogen energy has received much attention as a solution to the supply of renewable energy and to respond to climate change. Hydrogen is the most suitable candidate of storing unused electric power in a large-capacity long cycle. Among the technologies for producing hydrogen, water electrolysis is known as an eco-friendly hydrogen production technology that produces hydrogen without carbon dioxide generation by water splitting reaction. Membranes in water electrolysis system physically separate the anode and the cathode, but also prevent mixing of generated hydrogen and oxygen gases and facilitate ion transfer to complete circuit. In particular, the key to next-generation anion exchange membrane that can compensate for the shortcomings of conventional water electrolysis technologies is to develop high performance anion exchange membrane. Many studies are conducted to have high ion conductivity and excellent durability in an alkaline environment simultaneously, and various materials are being searched. In this review, we will discuss the research trends and points to move forward by looking at the research on anion exchange membranes based on commercial polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-polystyrene (SEBS) block copolymers.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.69-80
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• 2022

The anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis for high purity hydrogen production is attracting attention as a next-generation green hydrogen production technology by using inexpensive non-noble metal-based catalysts instead of conventional precious metal catalysts used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis systems. However, since AEM water electrolysis technology is in the early stages of development, it is necessary to develop research on AEM, ionomers, electrode supports and catalysts, which are key elements of AEM water electrolysis. Among them, current research in the field of catalysts is being studied to apply a previously developed half-cell catalyst for alkali to the AEM system, and the applied catalyst has disadvantages of low activity and durability. Therefore, this review presented a catalyst synthesis technique that promoted oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using a non-noble metal-based catalyst in an alkaline medium.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2023

Techno-economic analyses on a 5-MW water electrolysis system for hydrogen production, operated in Jeju Island where the portion of renewable energy in the power grid is the highest in Korea, have been performed. The cost of hydrogen production and the economic feasibility of the hydrogen production system have been mainly analyzed based on the levelized-cost-of-hydrogen model. The effects of carbon emission trading and renewable power purchase method have been considered to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production in the case studies. This economic analysis model is expected to be used to derive a business model for green hydrogen production.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.389-397
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• 2023

This study compares domestic and foreign research on renewable energy-based water electrolysis clean hydrogen. Domestic studies from 2010 to 2023 focused on technological efficiency, energy efficiency, and system efficiency, with few analyzing infrastructure and technology trends. Overseas research initially focused on technological efficiency and stability, but has since shifted to economic and environmental impact, policy effectiveness, industry-university-research cooperation, and sustainability. To improve water electrolysis technology production, this study suggests prioritizing technology stability over efficiency, resolving government regulations and resident acceptance issues, promoting industry-university-institute cooperation for rapid commercialization of research results, and developing a strategy for sustainable development of renewable energy-based water electrolysis technology.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2021

Alkaline water electrolysis system is the oldest technology among various hydrogen production processes to produce green hydrogen with the least amount of greenhouse gas generated. Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) system is used in alkaline atmosphere condition. In comparison to polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), this system can utilize stable transition metals such as nickel, cobalt, and silver, as electrode catalysts. AWE is relatively inexpensive, and can easily be scaled up to large scale. The system is a mature technology, as it has been in operation since the beginning of the 20th century in MW-scale for hydrogen generation, and there are currently more than 20 commercial manufacturers. In this review, the basic principles of AWE, along with catalysts, electrodes, and diaphragm membranes, are summarized. Particularly, the research and development trends of the diaphragm membrane unit, which is the core component of an AWE, are discussed in detail.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.475-485
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• 2022

The continuous excessive consumption of fossil fuels is causing global warming, climate, and environmental crisis. Accordingly, hydrogen energy attracts attention among alternative energies of fossil fuels, because it has the advantage of not emitting pollutants and not having resource restrictions. Therefore, various studies are being conducted on a water electrolysis system for producing hydrogen and a fuel cell system for producing electricity by using hydrogen energy as a fuel. In this study, 3D ionomer models were produced by reflecting the excessive water condition of an anion-conductive ionomer material, which is one of the core materials of water electrolysis systems and fuel cells. Finally, by analyzing the structural stability and performance of the ionomer under an excessively hydrated condition, we suggested a performance improvement factor in the design of an anion conductive ionomer, a key material for water electrolysis systems and fuel cells.