Researchers at Oregon State University developed a porous crystal called BVR-19 that uses sunlight to split water into hydrogen. The material is a metal-organic framework, or MOF, and it works without an added expensive metal catalyst. The sulfur-containing organic parts capture light and drive the reaction. The material also forms at room temperature in water. The research addresses the cost gap between green hydrogen and fossil-based hydrogen. Steam methane reforming produces hydrogen for about $1.50 per kilogram, while green hydrogen costs about $5 per kilogram. The team says the findings provide design rules for better solar fuel materials. The work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
