Research unlocks greener hydrogen peroxide supply

Researchers at The University of Queensland have developed a plug-and-play device that makes industry-grade hydrogen peroxide at higher concentrations and could transform how one of the world’s most widely used chemicals is produced.

UQ researcher Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa, said the technology could cut red-tape associated with producing, storing and transporting hydrogen peroxide.

“Hydrogen peroxide is a workhorse chemical, used globally across industries every day,” Dr Tebyetekerwa said. “It is everywhere: used to purify water, to safeguard agriculture, to bleach paper, to drive chemical production, to disinfect hospitals and even to power rockets. It also has many applications beyond this.

“Our technology produces hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of up to 60% using just two key ingredients: water and air. It is desktop sized and powered using electricity, which can be obtained through renewable sources, making it greener.”

UQ’s commercialisation company UniQuest has licensed the technology to Brisbane-based startup Evimien Energy.

Tebyetekerwa said commercial hydrogen peroxide production had not changed since the 1930s.

“Hydrogen peroxide has been made using the same complicated process for 80 years, requiring the addition of extra chemicals only for them to be stripped away again to purify the product,” he said. “The current way means we make large quantities of chemicals in big factories and then ship them out to users where they needed to be safely stored, often at a regulatory cost to industry.

“Our technology makes the chemical we need on site, in the quantity we need and at the concentration we require, with the push of a button. It is very safe; it reduces carbon emissions and transport costs, and there’s no wastage.”

UniQuest CEO Dr Dean Moss said the technology had the potential to reshape chemical production for industry, while also making it easier for smaller-scale consumers to access.

“The design of this technology and its potential real-world application owes a great deal to the ingenuity of the UQ researchers working collaboratively with their industry partners,” he said.

Evimien Energy co-founder Bowen Wang said the partnership with UQ marked a turning point for Australian industry.

“At Evimien Energy, our mission is to make chemicals cleaner, safer and more accessible,” he said. “Hydrogen peroxide is a perfect example of a green oxidant that breaks down into only water and oxygen, and yet most of what is used in Australia today is imported.

“That leaves industries dependent on long supply chains, one dominant supplier, and higher costs.”

Evimien Energy is seeking potential investors to bring the technology to market.

Image: UQ researcher Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa has designed technology that delivers cleaner, industry-grade hydrogen peroxide using only water and air. Credit: The University of Queensland.