Nutrode, a Knoxville startup spun out of the University of Tennessee, says its manufacturing process can cut the cost of electrolyzer electrodes by more than 90%. The company grows a thin layer of platinum and iridium directly onto the electrode instead of spraying it on, which it says reduces precious metal use by 90% and shortens production from 10 steps to 3. The approach targets a key cost driver in green hydrogen. Electrolyzers split water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity, but they rely on expensive rare earth metals. Nutrode says its process works at room temperature and normal pressure, cutting both material and energy costs. The company estimates production costs fall by over 90% and aims to reach industrial-scale manufacturing by 2028. So far, the performance data comes from lab testing, not commercial operation. Nutrode was founded by UT professors Feng-Yuan Zhang and Matthew Mench, and is working with the UT Research Foundation to commercialize the technology. If the process holds up at scale, it could lower the cost of clean hydrogen and help make green hydrogen projects more viable.
