(529e) Microwave-Assisted Dry Reforming of Methane

The current investigation aims at environmentally benign way of hydrogen production by utilization of renewable energy sources. The performance of ceria-based catalysts (undoped CeO₂ and Zr coped CeO₂: CZO) was investigated using microwave (MW) assisted dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction. Steady-state catalytic data reveal that both CeO₂ and CZO catalysts are active for the DRM reaction under MW heating, but do not exhibit any noticeable activity under conventional heating by electric furnace at comparable catalyst bed temperature. Furthermore, for comparable CH₄ conversion values, the MW assisted DRM reaction consumes at least an order of magnitude lower amount of power. These observations, undoubtedly, demonstrate an efficient way of Green Hydrogen production through MW heating. Both Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy show that the CZO catalyst maintains a meta-stable partially reduced state during DRM reaction under MW heating and provide insights into the active center of the DRM reaction.