SHENZHEN, September 18 - Professor Zeng Rui, a newly joined faculty member at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen（HITSZ）, has achieved a significant research breakthrough. The work was completed during his postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has now been published in Nature under the title “Anodic Pd membrane H2 extraction enhances thermochemical dehydrogenation”.
Dehydrogenation reactions are key steps in fuel processing, chemical synthesis, and hydrogen storage and transport. However, many dehydrogenation reactions are both kinetically and thermodynamically often inhibited by the hydrogen generated. Coupling dehydrogenation catalysts with hydrogen-selective membranes can remove H2 in situ and promote the reaction, but conventional membranes rely on a hydrogen partial pressure difference and typically deliver hydrogen at limited pressure and flux.
This study developed a novel electrochemical device that uses a Pd-based membrane as the anode of a hydrated molten hydroxide cell, enabling active hydrogen separation without relying on pressure differences. At 300°C, hydrogen separation rate was increased approximately fourfold compared to traditional pressure-driven separation, allowing high-purity hydrogen to be obtained directly from low-concentration gas mixtures. When combined with thermochemical hydrogen production, the device achieved conversion rates of up to 91% and 94% for two types of feedstock (ammonia and methylcyclohexane) at 250°C, while directly producing high-purity hydrogen suitable for downstream use. This technology offers a new approach for low-temperature, high-efficiency hydrogen production and shows potential for hydrogen storage and transport.
Professor Zeng Rui is the first author of the paper. His research focuses on electrocatalysis, materials design, and in situ characterization. He has authored or co-authored 25 publications, including multiple first- or co-first-author papers in high-impact journals, such as Nature, Nature Materials, Journal of the American Chemical Society, and Science Advances. He officially joined HITSZ as a full-time faculty member in August 2026.
