Cycled Hydrogen Production From Natural Gas Using Novel Oxides

75641-The production of hydrogen from natural gas is an integral part of the strategy to introduce hydrogen into the transportation and utility energy sectors. However, in traditional steam reforming, a hydrocarbon is oxidized to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide at high temperatures, driving up the energy costs per unit of hydrogen. This project will develop and commercialize doped rare-earth catalysts for the production of hydrogen from natural gas and water, using a temperature swing process. The effort will focus on reducing the reforming reaction temperatures and energy costs, and eliminating catalyst deactivation due to coke formation at higher temperatures. Specifically, novel nanocatalyst materials, with high activity for hydrocarbon oxidation and high ionic conductivity at intermediate temperatures, will be developed and optimized. The catalyst will act as an oxygen supplier/storage material during a novel two-step reaction process in which the oxidation of natural gas is followed by the reduction of water. In Phase I, an existing nano-spray process will be used to explore various catalyst compositions, structures, and dopant levels to increase the catalytic effect and reduce reaction temperature. Combinatorial nanopowder production methods will be used to greatly improve the surface area and hydrogen production kinetics and to allow for the rapid synthesis and testing of different dopants at varying compositions. Hydrogen production experiments will be performed by passing the effluent over a fuel cell. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The temperature swing process and novel catalysts should enable hydrogen to be produced from natural gas at low cost and high efficiency. Lowering the reaction temperature also may enable the use of solar energy for hydrogen production, with significant capital and operating benefits.