China Focus: Scientists pioneer carbon-free technique for hydrogen generation

BEIJING -- An international team of scientists led by Peking University has developed a new method of hydrogen production that eliminates direct carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Published in Science on Friday, the study offers an environmentally friendly and economically viable solution for the hydrogen industry.

Traditional methods of hydrogen production through ethanol reforming typically require high temperatures ranging from 300 to 600 degrees Celsius, consuming vast amounts of energy and generating significant CO2 emissions. The new process, however, uses a novel catalyst to produce hydrogen by reacting bioethanol -- derived from agricultural and forestry waste -- with water at a temperature of only 270 degrees Celsius.

This new bimetallic catalyst, developed by the research team over the past decade, overcomes the technical challenges of conventional ethanol reforming. It reduces the reaction temperature by precisely regulating the active sites, altering the reaction pathway entirely.

"Our research proposes a new pathway for efficient hydrogen production without CO2 emissions," said Ma Ding, a researcher at Peking University.

The study also reveals that the new method co-produces acetic acid, an organic chemical widely used in food preservation, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.

"The co-production of high-value acetic acid presents significant economic potential for the industry," Ma added.

Further analysis shows that the new hydrogen production method is scalable and demonstrates potential commercial viability at an industrial level.

"Finding sustainable ways to produce the products we need for daily life while meeting future net-zero emissions targets is a key challenge for the chemical industry, and hydrogen is widely recognized as a key solution," Ma said.

The research team believes their innovative catalytic technology could play a pivotal role in advancing the green hydrogen economy and achieving global carbon neutrality goals.

The study was a collaboration between researchers from Peking University, the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cardiff University in the UK, and other institutes.