Light-Driven Hydrogen Production from Steam Methane Reforming via Bimetallic PdNi Catalysts Derived from Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets

Abstract

Steam methane reforming is one of the primary industrial hydrogen sources but depends upon high temperatures to activate the inert C−H bonds in methane, motivating novel methods to achieve more sustainable methane activation and hydrogen production. Here, we prepared a PdNi bimetallic catalyst derived from layered double hydroxides for light-driven steam methane reforming, achieving a hydrogen production rate of 82.9 mmol g −1 h −1 at 300 °C under xenon lamp illumination. Outdoor condensed sunlight irradiation further delivered a hydrogen production rate of up to 260.9 mmol g −1 h −1 . Both temperature-programmed desorption and density functional theory calculations indicated that Pd doping enhances the adsorption and activation of inert methane molecules, promoting hydrogen production via the reforming process. These results provide a reference for the direct utilization of solar energy to produce hydrogen from earth-abundant natural gas and water sources.

2022 Pioneers in Energy Research: Jinhua Ye

“…In the review by Xiong et al, the advancements in semiconductor-based photocatalytic CH 4 conversion were discussed and the perspectives on co-catalysts for promoting the photoactivity were proposed . Zhang’s group presented a PdNi bimetallic catalyst derived from layered double hydroxide for light-driven steam methane reforming . Dai and Fu investigated the effects on three different shapes of the CeO 2 surface on photothermal CO 2 methanation .…”

“…53 Zhang's group presented a PdNi bimetallic catalyst derived from layered double hydroxide for light-driven steam methane reforming. 54 Dai and Fu investigated the effects on three different shapes of the CeO 2 surface on photothermal CO 2 methanation. 55 It was found that the introduction of a N dopant resulted in the transformation of the TiO 2 phase from anatase to rutile, thus leading to improved CH 4 selectivity.…”

Highly Efficient and Selective Photocatalytic Nonoxidative Coupling of Methane to Ethylene over Pd-Zn Synergistic Catalytic Sites

“…Photocatalysis, employing inexhaustible solar energy instead of thermal energy, provides an attractive alternative route to sustainable CH 4 conversion under ambient reaction conditions [11][12][13][14][15]. Among various methane conversion schemes, nonoxidative coupling of CH 4 to ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) along with simultaneous production of H 2 is a preferable pathway, as C 2 H 4 is the high value-added key chemical feedstock, while H 2 is an important clean energy carrier.…”

Facile Chemical Vapor Modification Strategy to Construct Surface Cyano‐Rich Polymer Carbon Nitrides for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

“…However, this process requires high temperatures (> 700 °C), resulting in high energy consumption. [1] An alternative method for hydrogen production, namely, photocatalytic water splitting, is a promising method because of the utilization of inexhaustible solar energy sources and a mild, clean, and pollution-free reaction process. [2] However, low photocatalytic efficiency remains the main factor restricting its industrial application.…”

“…Currently, methane steam reforming with high conversion efficiency is widely used for industrial hydrogen production. However, this process requires high temperatures (>700 °C), resulting in high energy consumption [1] . An alternative method for hydrogen production, namely, photocatalytic water splitting, is a promising method because of the utilization of inexhaustible solar energy sources and a mild, clean, and pollution‐free reaction process [2] .…”