Hydrogen research
Hands-on hydrogen research: Students develop new materials for the energy transition
How can hydrogen be produced efficiently whilst reducing the use of expensive precious metals? Students from various engineering degree programmes in the General Chemistry Laboratories of Hochschule München are exploring this question as part of their final dissertations, project work and research projects.
In state-of-the-art laboratories, students are developing and investigating novel nanostructured electrodes for hydrogen production. The focus is on fine networks of silver nanowires onto which tiny palladium particles are deposited. By carefully designing these surfaces, hydrogen production can be significantly improved, whilst at the same time reducing the use of the precious metal palladium.
The students produce the materials themselves, characterise their structure using modern analytical techniques, and investigate the underlying processes using electrochemical measurement methods. In doing so, they gain an understanding of current research methods and work on issues that are of great importance for the energy technologies of the future.
The results show that it is not merely the quantity of a precious metal that is decisive, but above all its targeted distribution across an optimally designed surface. The combination of conductive silver nanowires and nanoscale palladium particles enables electrochemical reactions to proceed particularly efficiently.
These projects demonstrate how students from various engineering degree programmes can actively contribute to cutting-edge research whilst still undergoing their studies. The General Chemistry Laboratories combine scientific curiosity, practical laboratory experience and the development of sustainable technologies for the energy transition.
The research was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Dr Martina Schwager. The findings were published in the journal *Micro* and contribute to the development of more efficient and resource-saving methods of hydrogen production.
Schwager, M., Käfer, N., Richter, J., & Reggel, H. (April 2026). Hydrogen Evolution Kinetics on Noble-Metal-Lean Pd/Ag Nanowire Networks Supported on Graphite. *Micro* 6 (2): 30.