On the second floor of the Usach Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, a laboratory with long benches and wide hallways stretches out in silence, without much decoration, except for a few research posters hanging on the walls that break up the monotony of the white walls.
The lab benches are clear and the screens dark, leaving an unusual silence through the vast, imposing space—a quiet typical of the semester's first days. Breaking the stillness, Dr. Federico Tasca steps out from a corner toward his office. Warm, Italian, and quick to smile, his booming laugh that instantly fills the room.
For four years, this laboratory served as the epicenter of the Fondecyt Regular project “Catalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Zn-air Batteries and Green Hydrogen Production.” The research investigated microscopic catalysis to tackle a critical hurdle in clean energy: scaling up sustainable green hydrogen production.
Often called the fuel of the future, green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. However, because water molecules are exceptionally stable, breaking their chemical bonds requires significant energy and advanced technology.
This is where catalysts play a critical role. By accelerating these reactions and driving efficient water splitting, specialized catalysts lower energy barriers to make clean hydrogen production a viable reality.
“High production costs are one of the main barriers to green hydrogen, mostly driven by platinum catalysts,” explains Dr. Federico Tasca. “Platinum is rare, highly expensive, and geographically concentrated in countries like South Africa and Russia. To make clean hydrogen viable worldwide, current research focuses on developing catalysts using abundant, low-cost metals like iron.”
The material is only half the battle; energy demand is the other. Splitting a water molecule requires pushing it to its absolute limits under high voltage—a hurdle that grows exponentially more complex at industrial scale.
In this scenario, catalysts become vital mediators that streamline the reaction, allowing water molecules to split using far less energy. Without them, “the process could require more than 4 volts, but with catalysts, that value can be cut in half, opening up the possibility of producing hydrogen with significantly lower energy consumption,” Dr. Tasca explains.
That is where earth-abundant materials like iron come in. Iron not only lowers material costs, but also opens the door to more accessible, scalable catalysts—addressing two of green hydrogen's biggest challenges: high raw material expenses and excessive energy consumption.
Building on this concept, the Fondecyt project focused on designing and synthesizing iron-based electrocatalysts to test their performance under real-world conditions. Rather than attempting a direct 1:1 replacement for platinum, the research aimed to determine how closely iron-based materials can match platinum’s efficiency, optimizing their molecular behavior and testing their stability across various environments.
Although this work takes place on a microscopic scale, it addresses a much broader question: how to produce energy affordably in a scenario where energy dependence is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
“Energy independence is far more pressing today than it was just a few years ago,” notes Dr. Federico Tasca. “Producing low-cost hydrogen could solve major supply challenges, as hydrogen acts as a versatile energy carrier—similar to traditional fuel. In that sense, Chile has an extraordinary opportunity given its vast renewable energy potential, particularly in solar power.”
Over four years of research, the project made significant strides in catalyst design while building rare local expertise in synthesis and testing. The team published more than 20 papers in international journals, filed four patent applications, and trained a new generation of researchers in materials synthesis, hydrogen production, and battery technologies—leaving behind both advanced lab capabilities and skilled human capital.
However, the ultimate goal—a low-cost electrocatalyst that achieves high efficiency and stability across all operating conditions—remains elusive. No current material functions optimally in both acidic and basic environments, leaving a fundamental puzzle to solve before clean hydrogen can reach true commercial scale.
“Green hydrogen can power fuel cells, combustion engines, or public transit fleets, making it an exceptionally versatile energy carrier,” Dr. Tasca explains. “However, we have yet to discover a universal catalyst that performs across all these scenarios. Developing materials that remain both efficient and stable under varying conditions remains a major challenge.”
Rather than offering a final answer, the research opens a new path—one that moves forward through trial, error, rigorous testing, and continuous fine-tuning in search of a material that balances efficiency, stability, and cost. Outside, the global debate over energy transitions grows more urgent. Inside this laboratory in the heart of USACH, the search for the ideal catalyst continues, step by step.
Pausing in the central hallway, Federico Tasca rests against a workbench. His gaze drifts across the bustling laboratory equipment around him, and with a breath of genuine enthusiasm, he reflects on the project's broader reach: “We’ve taken another step forward in this quest,” he says. “Today, producing green hydrogen in Chile makes more sense than ever. Without major oil or gas reserves, moving toward energy independence is critical. Hydrogen has to be the future—or at least one of Chile’s brightest futures.”