From left: Naomi Halas, Peter Nordlander and Yigao Yuan

Rice develops new catalyst that uses light, not heat, to produce green hydrogen

InterestingEngineering.com | Nov 11, 2024

Hydrogen, a clean-burning, powerful, and versatile energy commodity, could be crucial in transitioning to a sustainable energy ecosystem.

However, the chemical process for over half of global hydrogen production significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

To curb this, researchers at Rice University have developed a catalyst that could make steam methane reforming (SMR) completely emissions-free by utilizing light instead of heat to drive the reaction.

SMR is a chemical reaction that generates hydrogen and carbon monoxide from natural gas and other methane sources.

Using light instead of heat

The research could be essential for prolonging catalyst lifetimes, enhancing efficiencies, and lowering costs in various industrial processes affected by coking, a type of carbon buildup that can deactivate catalysts...

...This process produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which are valuable feedstocks for the chemical industry and do not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions...more

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/new-catalyst-uses-light-hydrogen

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