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A Slovenian research institute offers electrocatalysts for hydrogen formation reaction, under investment, commercial or research and development cooperation agreements.

Summary

Profile Type
  • Technology offer
POD Reference
TOSI20241209007
Term of Validity
9 December 2024 - 9 December 2025
Company's Country
  • Slovenia
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
  • Investment agreement
  • Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Targeted Countries
  • Slovenia
  • Slovakia
  • Greece
  • Monaco
  • Spain
  • Japan
  • Morocco
  • United States
  • Portugal
  • Bulgaria
  • French Polynesia
  • Croatia
  • Belgium
  • Finland
  • Austria
  • Czechia
  • Cyprus
  • Italy
  • France
  • Malta
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • Luxembourg
  • Sweden
  • Estonia
  • Lithuania
  • Denmark
  • Latvia
  • Romania
  • Poland
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General information

Short Summary
Dependence on fossil fuels and their emissions poses environmental challenges.

They believe that the hydrogen represents a promising alternative with its high energy density and sustainability.

The Institute’s technology is based on water electrolysis using an advanced catalyst providing a carbon-free hydrogen production pathway.
Full Description
The research institute was founded more than 70 years ago and it employs more than 400 people today.

Their offered technology, an advanced catalyst, is based on a unique nanostructure that delivers exceptional performance with minimal active metal content (6 wt.%). It outperforms conventional catalysts in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) processes. Key to its success is a tailored support material that enhances the structural and electronic properties of the active phase, optimising hydrogen adsorption and water dissociation kinetics. Advanced spectroscopic analysis revealed critical interactions between the support and active metal, contributing to the superior catalytic performance. The catalyst achieves higher intrinsic turnover frequencies and mass activities than commercial alternatives. The synthesis process involves precise deposition of the active phase onto a modified support material under controlled conditions, enabling robust and efficient catalytic behaviour.

The institute is open for Investment agreement, Commercial agreement with technical assistance, and/or Research and development cooperation agreement.
Advantages and Innovations
Higer efficiency: The catalyst operates more efficiently in HER processes under alkaline conditions compared to commercial benchmarks, requiring lower energy input at standard current densities.

Reduced material costs: Additionally, its higher activity per mass and reduced material costs—due to the use of a more economical active metal—offer significant economic and operational advantages.
Stage of Development
  • Lab tested
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
Partners are sought to provide one or more of the following:

Electrode Fabrication and Integration: Partner is expected to collaborate on development of efficient electrode coating techniques, ensuring uniform distribution of the catalyst for maximum HER efficiency.
Partner is also expected to support the integration of the Ru/TiON-C catalyst into prototype electrochemical cells for real-world hydrogen production trials, ensuring alignment with industrial requirements.

Scale-Up and Manufacturing:
Partner is expected to develop methodologies to scale up the synthesis process, transitioning from lab-scale production to pilot-scale and eventually industrial-scale manufacturing. Focus on cost-effective processes that reduce the environmental impact and minimize resource consumption, especially ruthenium.

Commercialization and Market Insights: Partner is expected to conduct market analyses to identify potential industrial applications for the Ru/TiON-C catalyst in sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen production, and transportation.
Partner is also expected to collaborate on the development of commercialization strategies, focusing on bringing the technology to market and scaling for widespread industrial adoption.
Type and Size of Partner
  • Big company
  • R&D Institution
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
  • Investment agreement
  • Commercial agreement with technical assistance

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 04002002 - Hydrogen production
Market keywords
  • 06003008 - Other alternative energy
  • 06002004 - Hydro-electric
  • 06007001 - Other energy production
Targeted countries
  • Slovenia
  • Slovakia
  • Greece
  • Monaco
  • Spain
  • Japan
  • Morocco
  • United States
  • Portugal
  • Bulgaria
  • French Polynesia
  • Croatia
  • Belgium
  • Finland
  • Austria
  • Czechia
  • Cyprus
  • Italy
  • France
  • Malta
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • Luxembourg
  • Sweden
  • Estonia
  • Lithuania
  • Denmark
  • Latvia
  • Romania
  • Poland