researchers at waseda university (shinjuku, japan) have developed a method for producing hydrogen at temperatures more than 500 degrees cooler than the standard process and have been able to explain the mechanics of surface protonics for the first time.
illustration of proton hopping during catalytic reaction. (waseda university)
the research team extracted hydrogen from methane and steam at temperatures as low as 150-200°c, rather than the current standard of using nickel as a catalyst at a high temperature of 700°c, according to a report from the university.
the scientists were able to observe protons moving quickly through the water that was adsorbed on the catalysts’ surface and the protons hopping from one surface to the next allowed the process to take place at lower temperatures. also, the collision of protons and adsorbents prevents a reversal of the reaction.
the report stated, “this shift greatly reduces energy input needed to produce hydrogen fuel, extends catalyst life, reduces the cost of construction materials, and reduces complexity of heat-management (cooling) systems.”
researchers believe that this discovery could be applied not only to hydrogen production but also to consumer products by lowering the temperature of various reactions that involve hydrogen or water.
the work was published in scientific reports in december. the abstract stated:
“catalytic steam reforming of methane for hydrogen production proceeds even at 473 k over 1 wt% pd/ceo2 catalyst in an electric field, thanks to the surface protonics. kinetic analyses demonstrated the synergetic effect between catalytic reaction and electric field, revealing strengthened water pressure dependence of the reaction rate when applying an electric field, with one-third the apparent activation energy at the lower reaction temperature range.
“operando–ir measurements revealed that proton conduction via adsorbed water on the catalyst surface occurred during electric field application. methane was activated by proton collision at the pd–ceo2 interface, based on the inverse kinetic isotope effect.
“proton conduction on the catalyst surface plays an important role in methane activation at low temperature. this report is the first describing promotion of the catalytic reaction by surface protonics.”
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