Contemporary avenues of the Hydrogen industry: Opportunities and challenges in the eco-friendly approach

Hydrogen (H₂) is a possible energy transporter and feedstock for energy decarbonization, transportation, and chemical sectors while reducing global warming's consequences. The predominant commercial method for producing H₂ today is steam methane reforming (SMR). However, there is still room for development in process intensification, energy optimization, and environmental concerns related to CO₂ emissions. Reactors using metallic membranes (MRs) can handle both problems. Compared to traditional reactors, MRs operates at substantially lower pressures and temperatures. As a result, capital and operational costs may be significantly cheaper than traditional reactors. Furthermore, metallic membranes (MMs), particularly Pd and its alloys, naturally permit only H₂ permeability, enabling the production of a stream with a purity of up to 99.999%. This review describes several methods for H₂ production based on the energy sources utilized. SRM with CO₂ capture and storage (CCUS), pyrolysis of methane, and water electrolysis are all investigated as process technologies. A debate based on a color code was also created to classify the purity of H₂ generation. Although producing H₂ using fossil fuels is presently the least expensive method, green H₂ generation has the potential to become an affordable alternative in the future. From 2030 onward, green H₂ is anticipated to be less costly than blue hydrogen. Green H₂ is more expensive than fossil-based H₂ since it uses more energy. Blue H₂ has several tempting qualities, but the CCUS technology is pricey, and blue H₂ contains carbon. At this time, almost 80-95% of CO₂ can be stored and captured by the CCUS technology. Nanomaterials are becoming more significant in solving problems with H₂ generation and storage. Sustainable nanoparticles, such as photocatalysts and bio-derived particles, have been emphasized for H₂ synthesis. New directions in H₂ synthesis and nanomaterials for H₂ storage have also been discussed. Further, an overview of the H₂ value chain is provided at the end, emphasizing the financial implications and outlook for 2050, i.e., carbon-free H₂ and zero-emission H₂.

A systemic review of hydrogen supply chain in energy transition

Targeting the net-zero emission (NZE) by 2050, the hydrogen industry is drastically developing in recent years. However, the technologies of hydrogen upstream production, midstream transportation and storage, and downstream utilization are facing obstacles. In this paper, the development of hydrogen industry from the production, transportation and storage, and sustainable economic development perspectives were reviewed. The current challenges and future outlooks were summarized consequently. In the upstream, blue hydrogen is dominating the current hydrogen supply, and an implementation of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) can raise its cost by 30%. To achieve an economic feasibility, green hydrogen needs to reduce its cost by 75% to approximately 2 $/kg at the large scale. The research progress in the midterm sector is still in a preliminary stage, where experimental and theoretical investigations need to be conducted in addressing the impact of embrittlement, contamination, and flammability so that they could provide a solid support for material selection and large-scale feasibility studies. In the downstream utilization, blue hydrogen will be used in producing value-added chemicals in the short-term. Over the long-term, green hydrogen will dominate the market owing to its high energy intensity and zero carbon intensity which provides a promising option for energy storage. Technologies in the hydrogen industry require a comprehensive understanding of their economic and environmental benefits over the whole life cycle in supporting operators and policymakers.

Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon-Supported Copper Catalyst: An Efficient Heterogeneous Magnetic Catalyst for Base-Free Chan-Lam Coupling and Oxidations

Development of heterogeneous catalysts from biomass-derived activated carbon is a challenging task. Biomass-derived activated carbon possesses a large specific surface area, highly porous structure, and good thermal/chemical stability. Magnetic copper catalysts based on biomass-derived activated carbon exhibited good catalytic activity in base-free Chan-Lam coupling and oxidations. Herein, biomass-derived activated carbon was prepared by the carbonization of neem dead leaves (abundant waste biomass) followed by chemical activation with KOH. Such a porous carbon material was used as a low cost and highly efficient support material for the preparation of inexpensive and environmentally benign magnetic catalysts [Cu@KF-C/MFe2O4, M = Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn]. In addition, KF modification was done to impart basic character to the catalyst that can perform C-N coupling under base-free conditions. Initially, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis of the synthesized catalysts was carried out, which indicated that Cu@KF-C/CoFe2O4 possess more surface area as well as pore volume, and so accounting for the highest activity among the other synthesized catalysts. Further, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed, which inferred that Cu@KF-C/CoFe2O4 contains most of the copper in reduced form, i.e., Cu(0), which is the active species responsible for better catalytic activity toward Chan-Lam coupling reactions as well as oxidation of alcohols and hydrocarbons. The physiochemical properties of the most active catalyst, Cu@KF-C/CoFe2O4, was examined by BET, XPS, Fourier transform infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Moreover, Cu@KF-C/CoFe2O4 shows excellent stability as well as reusability and could be easily separated with the help of an external magnet.

A Modification of Palm Waste Lignocellulosic Materials into Biographite Using Iron and Nickel Catalyst

This paper presents an alternative way to maximize the utilization of palm waste by implementing a green approach to modify lignocellulosic materials into a highly crystalline biographite. A bio-graphite structure was successfully synthesized by converting lignocellulosic materials via a simple method using palm kernel shell (PKS) as a carbon precursor. This involved the direct impregnation of a catalyst into raw material followed by a thermal treatment. The structural transformation of the carbon was observed to be significantly altered by employing different types of catalysts and varying thermal treatment temperatures. Both XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the microstructural alteration occurred in the carbon structure of the sample prepared at 800 and 1000 °C using iron, nickel or the hybrid of iron-nickel catalysts. The XRD pattern revealed a high degree of graphitization for the sample prepared at 1000 °C, and it was evident that iron was the most active graphitization catalyst. The presence of an intensified peak was observed at 2θ = 26.5°, reflecting the formation of a highly ordered graphitic structure as a result of the interaction between the iron catalyst and the thermal treatment process at 1000 °C. The XRD observation was further supported by the Raman spectrum in which PKS-Fe1000 showed a lower defect structure associated with the presence of a significant amount of graphitic structure, as a low value of (Id/Ig) ratio was reported. An HRTEM image showed a well-defined lattice fringe seen on the structure for PKS-Fe1000; meanwhile, a disordered microstructure was observed for the control sample, indicating that successful structural modification was achieved with the aid of the catalyst. Further analysis from BET found that the PKS-Fe1000 developed a surface area of 202.932 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.208 cm3/g. An overall successful modification from palm waste into graphitic material was achieved. Thus, this study will help those involved in waste management to evaluate the possibility of a sustainable process for the generation of graphite material from palm waste. It can be concluded that palm waste is a potential source of production for graphite material through the adoption of the proposed waste management process.

Porous silicon film overcoating biomass char-supported catalysts for improved activity and stability in biomass pyrolysis tar decomposition

A C-SiO2 core–shell structure catalyst was prepared via a two-step pyrolysis method, and the support effect and reaction mechanism were discussed for this novel system.

Influence of the Calcination Technique of Silica on the Properties and Performance of Ni/SiO2 Catalysts for Synthesis of Hydrogen via Methane Cracking Reaction

Deactivation of catalysts due to rapid blocking of active surfaces and pores is a major problem for methane cracking. The removal of the template using different calcination methods contributes to the different characteristics of catalyst support. Therefore, silica supports were prepared with the sol-gel method, where sodium silicate and chitosan are a silica source and a template, respectively. Calcination using a microwave muffle furnace (MWF) was preferred over the conventional electric muffle furnace at the heating rates of 2 and 17 °C/min (CEF2 and CEF17, respectively) in order to remove the chitosan template. A nickel nitrate precursor was loaded onto the obtained silica supports by the incipient wetness impregnation method. The properties of the silica support and the Ni/SiO₂ catalysts were characterized by means of N₂-sorption, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray, field emission transmission electron microscopy, and H₂ temperature-programmed reduction. The catalytic activity was evaluated using a fixed-bed reactor at 550 °C with a CH₄/N₂ ratio of 1:4 in the feed. The amount and the allotropes of carbon deposited on the spent catalysts were investigated using thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis. The results showed that the SiO₂-MWF support had a higher surface area and a larger pore volume of a mesoporous structure with larger interparticle channels than that of the SiO₂-CEF supports. This leads to the higher dispersion of Ni metal particles over and inside the interparticle channels of the SiO₂-MWF support. This provided a higher metal-support interaction, resulting in lower rates of methane conversion and carbon deposition on the catalyst surface than those of Ni/SiO₂-CEF catalysts. However, it displayed a lower bed pressure. It was found that the carbon fibers deposited on all the catalysts were multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Additionally, the base-growth mechanism of MWCNTs was only exhibited by the Ni/SiO₂-MWF catalyst.

Non-Supported Nickel-Based Coral Sponge-Like Porous Magnetic Alloys for Catalytic Production of Syngas and Carbon Bio-Nanofilaments via a Biogas Decomposition Approach

Porous Ni, Ni-Co, Ni-Fe, and Ni-Cu magnetic alloys with a morphology similar to a giant barrel sponge were synthesized via a facile co-precipitation procedure and then by hydrogen reduction treatment. For the first time, the non-supported alloys with their unique morphology were employed in catalytic biogas decomposition (CBD) at a reaction temperature of 700 °C and 100 mL min^-1 to produce syngas and carbon bio-nanofilaments, and the catalysts' behavior, CH₄ and CO₂ conversion, and the carbon produced during the reaction were investigated. All of the equimolar alloy catalysts showed good activity and stability for the catalytic biogas decomposition. The highest sustainability factor (0.66) and carbon yield (424%) were accomplished with the Ni-Co alloy without any significant inactivation for six hours, while the highest carbon efficiency of 36.43 was obtained with the Ni-Co catalyst, which is considered relatively low in comparison with industry standards, indicating a low carbon production process efficiency, possibly due to the relatively high biogas flow rate. The higher activity of the Ni-Co alloy catalyst was associated with the synergistic impact between nickel and cobalt, allowing the catalyst to maintain a high stability throughout the reaction period. Moreover, highly uniform, interwoven carbon bio-nanofilaments with a parallel and fishbone structure were achieved.

Catalytic decomposition of undiluted methane into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes over Pt promoted Ni/CeO2 catalysts

A series of Pt promoted Ni/CeO₂ catalysts were prepared and characterized, and their catalytic activity for methane decomposition was reported.

Reverse microemulsion prepared Ni–Pt catalysts for methane cracking to produce COx-free hydrogen

A monodispersed 15 nm Ni₉Pt₁ catalyst synthesized via a reverse microemulsion method, shows a lower activation energy than both Ni and Pt catalysts during the methane cracking reaction.