Reducing the Cost and Improving the Performance of Pt-Type Catalysts for Hydrogen Production
June 18, 2026Platalytix Engineering/Global, 2025–26
Liaison(s): Dr. Kevin Laws, Dr. Caitlin Healy
Advisor(s): Ethan Ritz ’12
Students(s): Emily Kendrick (TL-S), Miranda Brandt (TL-F), Luis Lorenzana, Georgia Tai (S), Xzavier Sablan (S), Sofia Flores (F)
Platalytix aims to expedite the global transition to renewable energy by making hydrogen an economically viable energy source. They design catalyst materials for water electrolysis/hydrogen production that match or exceed the performance of current platinum catalysts for lower costs. The Clinic team characterized the electrochemical efficiency of these new catalysts and worked to maximize their performance-per-dollar through sourcing low-cost recycled materials for manufacturing, magnetically enhancing the electrolysis reaction and developing a cost-composition-performance model to achieve the optimal composition.