Hydrogen is a clean, renewable energy carrier with vast potential to replace fossil fuels. Biological catalysts called hydrogenases, particularly [FeFe] hydrogenases, can efficiently produce hydrogen (H₂) by catalyzing proton reduction under mild conditions. Harnessing these enzymes in electrochemical systems offers a promising path toward sustainable hydrogen generation.
Unmet Need Despite their potential, integrating hydrogenases into practical electrochemical devices faces significant challenges. Conventional immobilization methods can lead to enzyme denaturation, leakage, limited loading capacity, and reduced efficiency. Furthermore, achieving stable, high enzyme loading on electrodes while maintaining activity remains a critical hurdle for scalable hydrogen production.

Our Technology
This innovative approach employs peptide self-assembly, specifically a hydrogel formed from fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl-diphenylalanine (FmocFF), to encapsulate and immobilize hydrogenase enzymes on 3D carbon felt electrodes. The peptide hydrogel spontaneously forms under mild conditions, creating a nanofibrillar network that retains high enzyme loads and ensures proximity to the electrode surface for efficient electron transfer. The system utilizes a mediator (methyl viologen) to shuttle electrons from the electrode to the encapsulated enzyme, resulting in high stability and prolonged catalytic activity. This method overcomes traditional limitations by preventing enzyme leakage, enabling high enzyme densities, and allowing gentle, scalable fabrication.

Market Potential
The global hydrogen market is projected to grow exponentially, driven by increasing demand for clean energy, fuel cell applications, and carbon-neutral energy solutions. Current technologies like electrolysis are limited by efficiency and cost. Our peptide-based enzyme encapsulation platform offers a scalable, cost-effective, and highly efficient method for biological hydrogen production, aligning with market needs for sustainable and economically viable hydrogen generation systems. This technology positions itself as a key enabling platform for biohybrid electrochemical devices within the expanding green energy market.