Scientists develop environment-friendly way to produce hydrogen for fuel

Scientists at the University of Cardiff and Peking University have developed a new way to produce hydrogen gas without the release of CO2 in the process.

The University of Cardiff in a publication on 13 February said this method is environment-friendly as it reduces the emission of CO2 which is harmful to the environment.

This result stems from more than a decade of collaborative work between researchers from the two universities and marks a major breakthrough in the chemical industry.

How it works

The new process of hydrogen production reacts hydrogen-rich bioethanol taken from agricultural waste with water at just 270°C using a new bimetallic catalyst.

This is far more efficient than traditional methods, which operate between 400-600°C, are energy-intensive and generate large amounts of CO₂.

Rather than produce CO₂, the process co-produces high-value acetic acid, an organic liquid used in food preservation, household cleaning products, manufacturing, and medicine.

According to the researchers, the study marks a major step towards de-fossilising the chemical industry and is a step-change in carbon-neutral hydrogen production with high-value chemicals from biomass as by-products.

Co-author of the findings published in Science, Graham Hutchings, Regius Professor of Chemistry at Cardiff University, said:

“Finding sustainable ways of creating the products we need for everyday life and to meet net zero ambitions for the future is a key challenge facing the chemical industry.”

Fueling net zero ambitions

The world is tending towards net zero status when it comes to CO2 emissions. This is seen in the shift towards production of eclectic and hydrogen-powered vehicles from gasoline vehicles.

Lead author Professor Ding Ma of Peking University, said:

“This innovative catalytic technology holds considerable promise for advancing the green hydrogen economy and supporting global carbon neutrality goals.”

Professor Ma had last year chaired a policy briefing for the Royal Society on defossilizing the chemical industry, and his work has brought the world closer to realizing the goal.