Generation of high-purity hydrogen from cellulose by its mechanochemical treatment

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 100; no. 15; pp. 3731 - 3733
• Main Authors: Zhang, Qiwu, Kang, Incheol, Tongamp, William, Saito, Fumio
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2009; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: biofuels; biogas; Biological and medical sciences; biomass; catalysts; Cellulose; Cellulose - chemistry; chemical treatment; Chromatography, Gas; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gasification; heat treatment; Hydrogen; Hydrogen - metabolism; Hydroxide; hydroxides; lithium; Mass Spectrometry; Mechanochemical; nickel; renewable energy sources; X-Ray Diffraction; Mechanochemical; Hydroxide; Hydrogen; Cellulose; Purity; Hydroxides
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.02.034

Cellulose was mixed with the hydroxides of lithium and nickel and the mixture was milled, followed by heating to produce hydrogen. Several analytical methods of X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry (TG/MS) and gas chromatography (GC) were used to characterize the samples. Hydrogen was emitted when heating the milled sample around 400
°C together with low concentrations of methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. It is understood that an interaction occurs between cellulose and lithium hydroxide to convert the carbon of cellulose into lithium carbonate and to emit hydrogen correspondingly. It is also found that nickel catalyst is required to facilitate the interaction and the behaviours of three different nickel compounds were compared. When high yield of hydrogen emission is available, the prepared samples can also serve the purpose of hydrogen storage.