https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt0682
http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0214/c90000-20276914.html
An international team of scientists led by Peking University has developed a new method of hydrogen production that eliminates direct CO2 emissions.
Traditional methods of hydrogen production through ethanol reforming typically require high temperatures ranging from 300 to 600 degrees Celsius, consuming high amounts of energy and generating significant CO2 emissions. The new thermal catalytic route for the partial reforming of ethanol into hydrogen and acetic acid creates near-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This reaction is enabled by a catalyst containing a high density of atomic Pt1 and Ir1 species supported on a reactive alpha-molybdenum carbide substrate, achieving a hydrogen production rate of 331.3 millimoles of hydrogen per gram catalyst per hour and an acetic acid selectivity of 84.5% at 270°C, and is therefore more energy-efficient compared with standard reforming. Techno-economic analysis of partial ethanol reforming demonstrates the potential profitability for operation at an industrial scale, presenting the opportunity to produce hydrogen and acetic acid with a substantially reduced carbon dioxide footprint.
