PDC electrolysis was first considered theoretically in 1952, and experimental research began as early as 1960 however it was originally focused on its technical applications to industry and the possibilities of improving the quality and rate of metal deposition. It partially succeeded, providing promising results its ability to create smoother, denser deposits, and reducing the amount of metal required in electroplating.
The first instance it was considered to initialise the electrolysis of water was from the perspective of magnetolysis in 1985, where high strength magnets, or in this case electromagnets, are used in conjunction with homopolar propellers. Ghoroghichian and Bockris conducted this experimental research to determine how a pulsed current can impact the rate of hydrogen production and provide economic advantages. A current density ratio of 2.07 was observed, demonstrating, for the first time, that a pulsed current can double the production of hydrogen, in comparison to a steady state current.
Since hydrogen gas cannot be collected in its free form, and it can be used to provide a source of renewable and clean energy through fuel cells, discovering an electrolysis method with the greatest efficiency is valued. With early experimental and theoretical success, many patents began to be developed until as recent as 2002, but since 1985, it has only been researched intermittently with varying levels of success.