Methane decomposition for hydrogen production by catalytic activity of carbon black under low flow rate conditions

Abstract

Recently, carbon materials were reported to work as catalysts for the production of H3 from hydrocarbons. However, the hydrogen production rate is extremely low. To broaden the scope of carbon materials as catalysts for the decomposition of hydrocarbons, a higher H3 production rate is required. Thus, the hydrogen production rate under conditions employing a low flow rate of hydrocarbon per unit area and a large quantity of carbon materials as the catalyst should be evaluated, and the influence of these conditions on the rate of H3 production by carbon materials should be discussed. Herein, the H3 production rate was measured under conditions employing a low flow rate of CH4 and a large quantity of carbon black (CB) as a catalyst. H3 production started at 600°C and the production rate was less than 0.1%. The transmission electron microscope image of CB heated in CH4 atmosphere demonstrated that a low flow rate of CH4 does not affect the reaction site (i.e., graphite edges) of CB. However, the H3 production rate was extremely low compared to that achieved with a high flow rate. It is proposed that there is an optimal flow rate for maintaining the catalytic activity at the graphite edge of CB for decomposition of CH4.