Formation of pure hydrogen from methane

The methods for production of pure hydrogen from methane are summarized. One method is methane decomposition to hydrogen and carbon nanofibers. Ni-based catalysts with high activity and long life for the methane decomposition were developed. The other method is based on the redox of iron oxides, i.e., Fe₃O₄ is reduced with methane to iron metals and, subsequently, iron metals are oxidized with water vapor to form hydrogen. Iron oxide mediators that could be reduced with methane and subsequently be oxidized with water vapor at low temperatures were designed.     

Generating hydrogen gas from methane with carbon captured as pure spheroidal nanomaterials

Energy production by using hydrogen gas as a feedstock is considered to be one of the keys to creating clean energy, with the proviso that the gas is generated in a sustainable way with no emissions. A simple, self-sustaining process generating hydrogen gas from methane using inexpensive stainless steel wire-mesh catalysts at elevated temperatures (800 °C) is reported. A theoretical analysis of the production of electricity by this process revealed peak chain energy efficiencies up to 21% (emission free) when using a percentage of the produced hydrogen (approximately 40% of purified yield) as the heat source. In addition, a practical method has been developed to purify the carbon byproduct, affording essentially pure highly graphitic spheroidal carbon for advanced materials applications.     

Formation of methane hydrate from polydisperse ice powders

Neutron diffraction runs and gas-consumption experiments based on pressure-volume-temperature measurements are conducted to study the kinetics of methane hydrate formation from hydrogenated and deuterated ice powder samples in the temperature range of 245-270 K up to high degrees of transformation. An improved theory of the hydrate growth in a polydisperse ensemble of randomly packed ice spheres is developed to provide a quantitative interpretation of the data in terms of kinetic model parameters. This paper continues the research line of our earlier study which was limited to the monodisperse case and shorter reaction times (Staykova et al., 2003). As before, we distinguish the process of initial hydrate film spreading over the ice particle surface (stage I) and the subsequent hydrate shell growth (stage II) which includes two steps, i.e., an interfacial clathration reaction and the gas and water transport (diffusion) through the hydrate layer surrounding the shrinking ice cores. Although kinetics of hydrate formation at stage II is clearly dominated by the diffusion mechanism which becomes the limiting step at temperatures above 263 K, both steps are shown to be essential at lower temperatures. The permeation coefficient D is estimated as (1.46 +/- 0.44) x 10(-12) m2/h at 263 K with an activation energy Q(D) approximately 52.1 kJ/mol. This value is close to the energy of breaking hydrogen bonds in ice Ih and suggests that this process is the rate-limiting step in hydrate formation from ice in the slower diffusion-controlled part of the reaction.     

Formation of hydrogen in oxidative coupling of methane over BaCO3 and MgO catalysts

Hydrogen formed in oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） over BaCO3 and MgO catalysts was measured since the data of H2 selectivity were missing almost in all articles published heretofore. It was found that H2 selectivity achieved about 18%, when C2 hydrocarbon＇s selectivity was maintained at 48%-45% over BaCO3 catalyst at the feed molar ratio of CH4/O2 = 4 in temperature range of 780 °C-820 °C. Under similar conditions, H2 selectivity was about 14%-16% over MgO catalyst, with C2 selectivity maintained at 41%-42%. Possible routes for hydrogen formation in OCM reaction were discussed. Effect of addition of alkali metallic ions was also investigated.     

Removal of hydrogen sulfide from methane in a barrier discharge

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - A process of removal of hydrogen sulfide from methane in a barrier discharge is investigated. A complete removal of hydrogen sulfide is achieved in one pass...     

Laser-induced fluorescence monitoring of higher alkanes production from pure methane using non-oxidative processes

A novel method for the study of non-oxidative methane conversion process into higher value hydrocarbon and hydrogen has been invented. The method involves the multiphoton dissociation of methane under the influence of the high power pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation at 355 nm wavelength at room temperature (293 K) and standard pressure (1 atm). The products generated as a result of methane conversion like ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene and isobutane are analyzed using an online gas chromatograph while the other species such as CH, CH₂ and C₂H₂, atomic and molecular hydrogen are characterized by real-time laser-induced fluorescence technique for the first time. A typical 7% conversion of methane into ethane has been achieved using 80 mJ of laser irradiation at 355 nm. The important features of this method are that it is non-oxidative, does not require any catalyst, high temperatures or pressures, which is normally the case in conventional techniques for methane conversion.     

吸收增强式甲烷水蒸气重整制氢实验研究

利用固定床反应器对吸收增强式甲烷水蒸气重整制氢反应进行了考察,研究了温度、甲烷流量、颗粒粒径和吸收剂种类等参数对反应过程的影响。结果表明,吸收增强式制氢反应过程最佳反应温度受热力学和动力学两方面因素影响;常压下以CaO为吸收剂时,最佳反应温度为600℃~700℃;CH4流量的选取要根据反应器内吸收剂的量与吸收增强段持续时间综合比较而定; 颗粒粒径大于90 μm,分析纯CaO和新型钙基CO2吸收剂CaO/Ca12Al14O33 均能达到较好的吸收增强效果。     

Formation of methanol from methane and water in an electrical discharge

Matrix isolation FTIR experiments have shown that methanol is a major product when argon gas doped with water and methane is exposed to an electrical discharge and condensed to a solid matrix at 11 K. Experiments with (2)H, (17)O and (18)O-labeled isotopologues show the mechanism for the methanol production is likely to be insertion of an excited oxygen atom in the (1)D state into a C-H bond of a methane molecule. In light of these experiments, the possibility of oxygen atom insertion into methane should be considered as a possible mechanism for the production of methanol in interstellar ices.     

Quantum chemical calculation of the barrier for tunneling of hydrogen in hydrogen abstraction from methane by methyl

An adiabatic reaction path for hydrogen abstraction from methane by methyl is computed by quantum chemical methods and then symmetrized by properly defining the reaction coordinate. The theoretical barriers are then fitted with the barriers defined by the parabolic and Eckart functions. Rate constants for the hydrogen and deuterium-abstraction processes via tunneling at low temperatures are then computed.     

旋转滑动弧氩等离子体裂解甲烷制氢

采用切向气流和磁场协同驱动的旋转滑动弧氩等离子体,先通过光谱分析法计算了其电子温度和电子密度,了解其物理特性,将其应用于甲烷裂解制氢,研究了进气流量和CH_4/Ar比对反应效果的影响。结果表明,该滑动弧系统电子温度为1.0-2.0 e V,电子密度高达1015cm~(-3),是介于热与低温等离子体之间的一种等离子体形式,具有独特的物理特性,可以在达到较高反应效率的同时,保持较大的处理量;在CH_4裂解制氢实验中,CH_4转化率可达22.1%-70.2%,并随进气流量和CH_4/Ar比的增大均逐渐降低;H_2选择性为21.2%-61.2%,并随进气流量的增大先基本不变后有所增大,随CH_4/Ar比的增大逐渐降低;与应用于甲烷裂解的不同形式的低温等离子体对比(如微波、射频、介质阻挡放电等)可以发现,旋转滑动弧在获得较高甲烷转化率、较高H_2选择性和较低制氢能耗的同时,还可以保持较大的处理量,即进气流量可达6-20 L/min。     

光促甲烷和水合成甲醇和氢催化剂的研究

用表面改性法制备TiO2/SiO2,以等体积浸渍法制备负载型复合半导体催化剂(MoO3,ZnO)-TiO2/SiO2,通过XRD、BET、TPR、IR、UV-Vis DRS和TPD等技术对材料的表面形态结构、吸光特性、化学吸附性能及光催化甲烷和水的反应性能进行了表征和分析。结果表明,MoO3-TiO2/SiO2和ZnO-TiO2/SiO2的表面物种均具有显著的量子尺寸效应,在表面分别形成Mo—O—Ti和Zn—O—Ti复合结构;MoO3和TiO2在载体表面的复合可提高对光能的利用率并可增强对甲烷的化学吸附性能, 结果使得MoO3-TiO2/SiO2的光催化反应性能明显优于ZnO-TiO2/SiO2;在固定床环隙反应器中,150℃MoO3-TiO2/SiO2光催化气相甲烷和水合成了目的产物甲醇和氢,甲醇的选择性达到87.3％。     

Preparation of pure hydrogen peroxide and anhydrous peroxide solutions from crystalline serine perhydrate

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most versatile oxidation reagents, still it has not fully been exploited by synthetic chemists since anhydrous (let alone pure) hydrogen peroxide requires hazardous preparation protocols. We have recently reported on the crystallization of serine and other amino acid perhydrates, thus paving the way for a new method for laboratory-scale production of anhydrous hydrogen peroxide solutions. Serine is insoluble in most organic solvents (e.g., methanol, ethyl acetate, and methyl acetate) that readily dissolve hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, since the adduct of hydrogen peroxide and serine is unstable in these organic solvents, crystalline serine perhydrate readily decomposes to give anhydrous solutions of hydrogen peroxide and crystalline precipitate of the amino acid. This procedure can then yield an anhydrous hydrogen peroxide solution in a single step. Moreover, filtration of the amino acid, and room temperature evaporation of the volatile solvent (e.g., methyl acetate), yields over 99% hydrogen peroxide.     

Study on the recovery of hydrogen from refinery (hydrogen + methane) gas mixtures using hydrate technology

A novel technique for separating hydrogen from (H2 CH4) gas mixtures through hydrate formation/dissociation was proposed. In this work, a systematic experimental study was performed on the separation of hydrogen from (H2 CH4) feed mixtures with various hydrogen contents (mole fraction x = 40%-90%). The experimental results showed that the hydrogen content could be enriched to as high as ~94% for various feed mixtures using the proposed hydrate technology under a temperature slightly above 0℃ and a pressure below 5.0 MPa. With the addition of a small amount of suitable additives, the rate of hydrate formation could be increased significantly. Anti-agglomeration was used to disperse hydrate particles into the condensate phase. Instead of preventing hydrate growth (as in the kinetic inhibitor tests), hydrates were allowed to form, but only as small dispersed particles. Anti-agglomeration could keep hydrate particles suspended in a range of condensate types at 1℃ and 5 MPa in the water-in-oil emulsion.     

甲烷催化裂解制氢技术研究进展

综述了甲烷催化裂解制氢的机理、影响因素以及催化剂的失活与再生,对影响甲烷催化裂解活性的因素如催化剂种类、载体种类、反应条件等方面进行了详细的论述。     

Plasma-chemical processes for the preparation of pure hydrogen

The current status and prospects of the commercial and pilot production of high-purity hydrogen (>99.9999%) in quasi-equilibrium and nonequilibrium plasmas with the extraction of hydrogen using palladium membranes are surveyed. It was concluded that plasma-chemical processes with the use of a quasi-equilibrium arc plasma for the production of hydrogen with acetylene and carbon black or as a syngas constituent are currently most promising.     

Co-catalyst-free large ZnO single crystal for high-efficiency piezocatalytic hydrogen evolution from pure water

Piezocatalytic materials have been widely used for catalytic hydrogen evolution and purification of organic contaminants.However,most studies focus on nano-size and/or polycrystalline catalysts,suffering from aggregation and neutralization of internal piezoelectric field caused by polydomains.Here we report a single crystal ZnO of large size and few bulk defects crafted by a hydrothermal method for piezocatalytic hydrogen generation from pure water.It is noteworthy that single-side surface areas of both original as-prepared ZnO and Ga-doped ZnO bulk crystals are larger than 30 cm².The high quality of ZnO and Ga-doped ZnO bulks are further uncovered by high-resolution transmission electron microscope(HRTEM),photoluminescence(PL)and X-ray diffraction(XRD).Remarkably,an outstanding hydrogen production rate of co-catalyst-free Ga-doped ZnO bulk crystal(i.e.,a maximum rate of 5915μmol h^-1 m^-2)is observed in pure water triggered by ultrasound in dark,which is over 100 times higher than that of its powder counterpart(i.e.,52.54μmol h^-1 m^-2).The piezocatalytic performance of ZnO bulk crystal is systematically studied in terms of varied exposed crystal facet,thickness and conductivity.Different piezocatalytic performances are attributed to magnitude and distribution of piezoelectric potential,revealed by the finite element method(FEM)simulation.The density functional theory(DFT)calculations are employed to investigate the piezocatalytic hydrogen evolution process,indicating a strong H₂O adsorption and a low energy barrier for both H₂O dissociation and H2 generation on the stressed Znterminated(0001)ZnO surface.     

Photoreduction of carbon dioxide by hydrogen and methane

Zirconium oxide is active for photoreduction of gaseous carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide with hydrogen. A stable surface species arises under the photoreduction of CO₂ on zirconium oxide, and it is identified as surface formate by infrared spectroscopy. Adsorbed CO₂ is converted to formate by photoreaction with hydrogen. The surface formate is a true reaction intermediate since CO is formed by the photoreaction of formate and CO₂; surface formate works as a reductant of carbon dioxide to yield carbon monoxide. The dependence on the wavelength of irradiation light shows that a bulk ZrO₂ is not a photoactive species. When ZrO₂ adsorbs CO₂ a new band appears in photoluminescence excitation spectrum. The photoactive species in the reaction that CO₂+H₂ yields HCOO⁻ is presumably formed by the adsorption of CO₂ on ZrO₂ surface. Hydrogen molecules play a role to supply an atomic hydrogen. Therefore, methane molecules can also be used as a reductant of carbon dioxide.     

Formation and decay of doubly charged ions in n-alkanes from methane to triacontane

Coincidence techniques were used to study dissociative double ionization of selected n-alkanes from methane to triacontane (C₃₀H₆₂) and of the hexane isomers. Following photoionization at 40.8 eV, both covalent and coulombic dissociations of the molecular dications take place. The main decay route of doubly charged alkanes larger than butane is fast charge separation followed by secondary dissociation of energetic singly charged primary ions. A simulation based on quasi-equilibrium theory and the spectra of the isomers confirm this breakdown mechanism for hexane.     

Formation of hydroxyl radical from the photolysis of frozen hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide (HOOH) in ice and snow is an important chemical tracer for the oxidative capacities of past atmospheres. However, photolysis in ice and snow will destroy HOOH and form the hydroxyl radical (*OH), which can react with snowpack trace species. Reactions of *OH in snow and ice will affect the composition of both the overlying atmosphere (e.g., by the release of volatile species such as formaldehyde to the boundary layer) and the snow and ice (e.g., by the *OH-mediated destruction of trace organics). To help understand these impacts, we have measured the quantum yield of *OH from the photolysis of HOOH on ice. Our measured quantum yields (Phi(HOOH --> *OH)) are independent of ionic strength, pH, and wavelength, but are dependent upon temperature. This temperature dependence for both solution and ice data is best described by the relationship ln(Phi(HOOH --> *OH)) = -(684 +/- 17)(1/T) + (2.27 +/- 0.064) (where errors represent 1 standard error). The corresponding activation energy (Ea) for HOOH (5.7 kJ mol(-1)) is much smaller than that for nitrate photolysis, indicating that the photochemistry of HOOH is less affected by changes in temperature. Using our measured quantum yields, we calculate that the photolytic lifetimes of HOOH in surface snow grains under midday, summer solstice sunlight are approximately 140 h at representative sites on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. In addition, our calculations reveal that the majority of *OH radicals formed on polar snow grains are from HOOH photolysis, while nitrate photolysis is only a minor contributor. Similarly, HOOH appears to be much more important than nitrate as a photochemical source of *OH on cirrus ice clouds, where reactions of the photochemically formed hydroxyl radical could lead to the release of oxygenated volatile organic compounds to the upper troposphere.