An international team of scientists have masterminded a way of creating hydrogen that sees no direct CO2 emissions at source.
While traditional methods of producing hydrogen are energy-intensive, generate substantial amounts of CO2 and operate between 400-600°C, researchers from Peking University and Cardiff University have been able to use hydrogen-rich and sustainably sourced bioethanol from agricultural waste with water at just 270°C with a bimetallic catalyst.
This catalyst sees the chemical reaction to create hydrogen shifted without carbon dioxide being released as a biproduct, instead resulting in acetic acid which is used in food preservation, household cleaning products, manufacturing and medicine with an annual global consumption that surpasses 15 million tons.
According to the researchers, the study can serve as a boost for the chemical industry, helping replace fossil feedstocks that are used in making chemicals with an alternative carbon source, while it also paves the way for the establishment of a circular economy model for co-producing hydrogen and high-value chemicals from biomass.
