Effective and selective hydrogen formation from biomass through hydrothermal reaction

The effects of various additives, such as an inorganic alkali and metal catalyst, on the hydrothermal process were examined to recover hydrogen from biomass with high efficiency and selectivity at relatively low temperatures around 400°C. At first, a cellulose sample as a model biomass was subjected to the hydrothermal process at 400°C under 25 MPa in the presence of an alkali, sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and nickel catalyst (Ni/SiO2). The combination of these two additives, Na2CO3 and the Ni catalyst, led not only to highly efficient formation of hydrogen but also to effective dissolution of CO2 into a liquid layer. Similarly, the hydrothermal reaction of real biomass, such as wasted wood, sledges and food waste, in the presence of both the two additives resulted in highly effective and selective formation of hydrogen gas even at relatively low temperatures around 400°C.