Welcome to HyPerCat (FOR 5715)
The Research Unit "Bridging Concepts in Thermo- and Electro-Hydrogen Peroxide Catalysis" (HyPerCat) aims at the development of common concepts for the thermo- and electrocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a green oxidant and a base chemi-cal with a large production volume and a wide range of applications, e.g. in the textile and paper industries, waste water treatment and chemical synthesis. Potential scenarios for future sustainable production of hydrogen peroxide include direct thermo-catalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from molecular hydrogen and oxygen using electro-catalytically produced hydrogen (t-HP) and direct selective electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide (e-HP).
In HyPerCat, eight research teams from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) are jointly investigating the processes of t-HP and e-HP at the various scales, i.e. from the atomic view with a focus on the reaction mechanisms and catalyst active sites, through the reactor design taking into account heat and mass transfer limitations, to the examination of value chains on an industrial scale. In the framework of the eight projects, we combine catalyst preparation, in situ and operando characterization, kinetic studies (both micro- and macro-kinetics) with test facilities at different scales and novel reactors, as well as multiscale modeling based on theoretical calculations (density functional theory) and experiments. In this way, we envision to gain access to performance descriptors for more active and selective catalyst states and reaction conditions, where information gained in e-HP can help in the systematic design of efficient catalysts in t-HP and vice versa.
HyPerCat, which consists of eight research teams from Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie (KIT) and Technischen Universität Berlin (TUB) is funded by Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
One of the main aspects of the HyPerCat project is exploring and establishing synergies between thermo- and electrocatalysis, and connecting researchers. In this context, Elisabeth Oldenburg (TP5, KIT) and Jonas Grings (TP7, TUB) met in Berlin for a 'rotating lab', combining the expertise and resources of both groups to achieve robust and reproducible results in green hydrogen peroxide synthesis.
The latest advancements in hydrogen peroxide research were the central theme of a one-day workshop held at KIT Campus North on March 3, 2026. The event was jointly organized by the DFG-funded Research Unit FOR5715 HyPerCat (Bridging Concepts in Thermo- and Electro-Hydrogen Peroxide Catalysis) and the European Green SWaP (Green Solar-to-Propellant Water Propulsion) Project. Chaired by Prof. Dr. Silke Behrens (IKFT) and Dr. Alexander Navarrete Muñoz (IMVT), the Hydrogen Peroxide Day attracted more than 40 KIT-internal and external participants.
In recent years, hydrogen peroxide has attracted significant interest as a green oxidant, and its market share has steadily increased. Therefore, understanding and optimizing production pathways is of great interest, as reflected by multiple initiatives worldwide dedicated to this field, including HyPerCat and Green SwaP.
By bringing together two hydrogen peroxide centered research projects with different aims and focuses, the Hydrogen Peroxide Day served as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among the involved researchers. Additionally, four international speakers from academia and industry also shared their experience in invited lectures.
Clearly, there is significant interest in hydrogen peroxide. This was also evident during the expert panel discussion at the end of the event. Several new production technologies are currently being developed in addition to established industrial processes. Each technology has its own advantages, however, there are also unresolved challenges. Further research on catalyst systems and process parameters is clearly needed to promote direct hydrogen peroxide synthesis. HyPerCat and Green SWaP are prepared to contribute to these efforts.
Photos from the event can be found here.
From March 18-20, 2026, the annual meeting of the German catalysis society took place in Weimar. Six HyPerCat team members attended the congress and presented the latest HyPerCat results with poster contributions, as well as a pitch presentation.