Cool Way To Make Hydrogen From Methanol

Abstract

Reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels sits high on the short list of global research priorities. One strategy calls for powering vehicles with fuel cells that use hydrogen extracted from methanol to generate electricity. But the extraction requires high temperatures, and that limits efficiency. Those limits soon may be loosened, however, thanks to a new catalyst that drastically lowers the temperature required to liberate hydrogen. Methanol is an attractive energy carrier because it is rich in hydrogen, a fuel that does not produce greenhouse gases upon oxidation. In addition, methanol remains liquid over a wide temperature range, allowing it to be handled by manufacturers, shippers, and motorists via existing infrastructure developed for gasoline and other liquid petroleum products. A key barrier to exploiting methanol in this way—often referred to as the methanol economy—is the high energy input required by methanol converters, also known as reformers. These devices vaporize liquid ...