Is Hydrogen Indispensable for a Sustainable World? A Review of H<sub>2</sub> Applications and Perspectives for the Next Years

Hydrogen (H₂) was one of the first molecules discovered by our society, being the most abundant element in the whole universe. Thus, H₂ has gained a lot of attention throughout the years, and it has lots of applications in different areas, especially since it offers ways to decarbonize a lot of sectors, mainly the ones where it has been proved to be very difficult to meaningfully reduce those carbon emissions. Herein, the main aspects of the hydrogen economy and its main applications for energy, transportation and industries are described. These main areas outline how important is H₂ for our society highlighting how H₂ can make those well-known processes more sustainable and greener. By the end, a brief discussion on these applications with future perspectives is presented.

Keywords:
hydrogen; hydrogen applications; sustainability; green chemistry

Authorship

Theodora W. Von Zuben

Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas-SP, BrazilUniversidade Estadual de CampinasBrazilCampinas, SP, BrazilInstituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas-SP, Brazil

Theodora W. Von Zuben is graduated in Chemistry from the University of Campinas (2019). She is currently a PhD student in Organic Chemistry at the same university. Her research interests are electrochemistry, focused on alcohol oxidation, having experience with organic synthesis, ethanol oxidation and development of electrodes for electroanalysis applications.

Daniel E. B. Moreira

Daniel E. B. Moreira is graduated in Chemistry from the Rio de Janeiro State University (2019) and currently is a Master student from University of Campinas. His research interests are electrocatalysis, water splitting, sustainable energy and synthesis and characterization of different Prussian Blue analogues, focusing on morphological control.

Rafael L. Germscheidt

Rafael L. Germscheidt is graduated in Chemical Processes from the Faculty of Technology (2017). He is currently a PhD student in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Campinas. His research interests are on the study of catalysts and their mechanism for water oxidation, focused on Prussian Blue analogues, having experience with their synthesis, characterization, and energy conversion applications.

Rafael G. Yoshimura

Rafael G. Yoshimura received his BSc in Chemical Engineering in 2018 from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) with a sandwich period at Arizona State University (ASU). He is currently master student in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at University of Campinas. His research interest focus on the development of electrocatalyst composites based on Prussian Blue analogue supported in graphene-based substrates for water oxidation reaction at neutral pH.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4077-0555

Daniel S. Dorretto

Daniel S. Doretto is currently an undergraduate student of the Chemistry course at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), which he joined in 2018. He developed two Scientific Initiation projects with Prof Juliano Alves Bonacin focused on the study Prussian Blue analogue compounds for the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction.

Ana B. S. de Araujo

Ana B. S. de Araujo is currently an undergraduate student of the Chemistry course at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), which she joined in 2019. She is participating in a Scientific Initiation project in the Inorganic Chemistry area with Prof Juliano Alves Bonacin, which studies the Prussian Blue analogues catalysts in the water oxidation process.

Airton G. Salles Jr.^**e-mail: hoffman@unicamp.br; jbonacin@unicamp.br

Airton G. Salles Jr. received his BSc from University of Campinas in 2003 and his PhD in Organic Synthesis from the same University in 2009 (with Prof Luiz Carlos Dias). After 2 years as a postdoc researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK (2012-2014, with Prof Jonathan Nitschke), he started as a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Campinas (2015). His current research focuses on the discovery of new reactions in water, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis employing simple experimental setups in line with green chemistry principles.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9423-2552

Juliano A. Bonacin ^**e-mail: hoffman@unicamp.br; jbonacin@unicamp.br

Juliano A. Bonacin received his PhD in 2007 (University of São Paulo, Brazil) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow between 2007 and 2009 (University of São Paulo, Brazil). He founded one of the first companies in the Nanotechnology field in Brazil and nowadays is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Chemistry of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). His research interests are energy conversion, hydrogen production, electrocatalysis, and 3D printing technologies.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9399-1031

*e-mail: hoffman@unicamp.br; jbonacin@unicamp.br

Editor handled this article: Luiz Ramos (Guest)

Author Contributions

Theodora W. Von Zuben was responsible for methodology, writing - original draft, review and editing; Daniel E. B. Moreira for conceptualization, investigation, writing - original draft, review and editing; Rafael L. Germscheidt for conceptualization, methodology, writing - original draft, review and editing; Rafael G. Yoshimura for conceptualization, methodology, writing - original draft, review and editing; Daniel S. Dorretto for methodology, writing - original draft; Ana B. S. de Araujo for methodology, writing - original draft; Airton G. Salles Jr. for conceptualization, methodology, writing - original draft, review and editing; Juliano A. Bonacin for conceptualization, supervision, writing - original draft, review and editing.

Theodora W. Von Zuben is graduated in Chemistry from the University of Campinas (2019). She is currently a PhD student in Organic Chemistry at the same university. Her research interests are electrochemistry, focused on alcohol oxidation, having experience with organic synthesis, ethanol oxidation and development of electrodes for electroanalysis applications.

Daniel E. B. Moreira is graduated in Chemistry from the Rio de Janeiro State University (2019) and currently is a Master student from University of Campinas. His research interests are electrocatalysis, water splitting, sustainable energy and synthesis and characterization of different Prussian Blue analogues, focusing on morphological control.

Rafael L. Germscheidt is graduated in Chemical Processes from the Faculty of Technology (2017). He is currently a PhD student in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Campinas. His research interests are on the study of catalysts and their mechanism for water oxidation, focused on Prussian Blue analogues, having experience with their synthesis, characterization, and energy conversion applications.

Rafael G. Yoshimura received his BSc in Chemical Engineering in 2018 from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) with a sandwich period at Arizona State University (ASU). He is currently master student in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at University of Campinas. His research interest focus on the development of electrocatalyst composites based on Prussian Blue analogue supported in graphene-based substrates for water oxidation reaction at neutral pH.

Daniel S. Doretto is currently an undergraduate student of the Chemistry course at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), which he joined in 2018. He developed two Scientific Initiation projects with Prof Juliano Alves Bonacin focused on the study Prussian Blue analogue compounds for the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction.

Ana B. S. de Araujo is currently an undergraduate student of the Chemistry course at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), which she joined in 2019. She is participating in a Scientific Initiation project in the Inorganic Chemistry area with Prof Juliano Alves Bonacin, which studies the Prussian Blue analogues catalysts in the water oxidation process.

Airton G. Salles Jr. received his BSc from University of Campinas in 2003 and his PhD in Organic Synthesis from the same University in 2009 (with Prof Luiz Carlos Dias). After 2 years as a postdoc researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK (2012-2014, with Prof Jonathan Nitschke), he started as a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Campinas (2015). His current research focuses on the discovery of new reactions in water, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis employing simple experimental setups in line with green chemistry principles.

Juliano A. Bonacin received his PhD in 2007 (University of São Paulo, Brazil) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow between 2007 and 2009 (University of São Paulo, Brazil). He founded one of the first companies in the Nanotechnology field in Brazil and nowadays is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Chemistry of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). His research interests are energy conversion, hydrogen production, electrocatalysis, and 3D printing technologies.

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Is Hydrogen Indispensable for a Sustainable World? A Review of H2 Applications and Perspectives for the Next Years

Is Hydrogen Indispensable for a Sustainable World? A Review of H₂ Applications and Perspectives for the Next Years