Royal Society of Chemistry win for industry-boosting hydrogen peroxide production breakthrough
15 Jun 2021
A new method to allow utility and other industrial companies to deliver hydrogen peroxide on site and save energy has been awarded one of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon prizes for advancing science.
Company HPNow collaborated with academics from countries including the UK, Canada and Denmark on the project which has won awarded the RSC’s new environment, sustainability and energy Division Horizon Prize: John Jeyes Award.
Judges praised the project "for scientific and engineering breakthroughs that have enabled hydrogen peroxide synthesis to become a commercial and industrial reality."
The new method allows hydrogen peroxide, an environmentally friendly chemical for treating water, to be made on-site and on-demand using an electrolyser device that sits in water, can pump in oxygen, catalyse hydrogen peroxide generation and pump out the product diluted in water.
Previously hydrogen peroxide has been produced mostly at high concentrations, with transportation proving to be a hazard risk.
Assistant professor at Canada's Calgary University Samira Siahrostami explained the benefits to industry of the team's work.
“ There are lots of areas that hydrogen peroxide can be useful. The current pandemic situation is a good example of how hydrogen peroxide can be useful for sterilisation and sanitisation.
“Another area is waste water treatment in remote areas, particularly when there is no capital waste water treatment in place.”
Her colleague Rasmus Fryendal, of the Technical University of Denmark and chief technical officer for HPNow, said the firm plans to scale up from delivering up to 5kg of hydrogen peroxide per day to around 100 kilos daily and also increase concentration significantly above 0.3%.
He added: We want to challenge the way that hydrogen peroxide is being produced and sold, looking at the storage, supply chain and the dangers that are involved. We are really focused on developing the technology to a stage where it’s really a no-brainer for the sustainable method of production.”
HPNow CEO, Ziv Gottesfeld said the RCS Horizon award was unique in acknowledging the full breadth and scope of innovation required “from the academic lab through to a commercial product addressing a strong market and societal need’.
For videos of all this year’s RSC 2021 winners see below
