Hydrogen production with a solar steam–methanol reformer and colloid nanocatalyst

Ming-Tsang Lee, Michael Werhahn, David J. Hwang, Nico Hotz, Ralph Greif, Dimos Poulikakos, Costas P. Grigoropoulos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the present study a small steam-methanol reformer with a colloid nanocatalyst is utilized to produce hydrogen. Radiation from a focused continuous green light laser (514 nm wavelength) is used to provide the energy for steam-methanol reforming. Nanocatalyst particles, fabricated by using pulsed laser ablation technology, result in a highly active catalyst with high surface to volume ratio. A small novel reformer fabricated with a borosilicate capillary is employed to increase the local temperature of the reformer and thereby increase hydrogen production. The hydrogen production output efficiency is determined and a value of 5% is achieved. Experiments using concentrated solar simulator light as the radiation source are also carried out. The results show that hydrogen production by solar steam-methanol colloid nanocatalyst reforming is both feasible and promising. © 2009 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)118-126
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume35
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2010
Externally publishedYes

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