The present disclosure provides methods for fabricating catalysts for ammonia decomposition. The method may comprise (a) subjecting a catalyst support to one or more physical or chemical processes to optimize one or more pores, morphologies, and/or surface chemistry or property of the catalyst support; (b) depositing a composite support material on the catalyst support, wherein the composite support material comprises a morphology or surface chemistry or property; and (c) depositing one or more active metals on at least one of the composite support material and the catalyst support, wherein the one or more active metals comprise one or more nanoparticles configured to conform to the morphology of the composite support material and/or catalyst support material, thereby optimizing one or more active sites on the nanoparticles for ammonia processing.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing ammonia. The system may comprise one or more reactor modules configured to generate hydrogen from a source material comprising ammonia. The hydrogen generated by the one or more reactor modules may be used to provide additional heating of the reactor modules (e.g., via combustion of the hydrogen), or may be provided to one or more fuel cells for the generation of electrical energy.

A reactor system and a process for carrying out the methanol cracking reaction of a feedstock comprising methanol to hydrogen are provided, where the heat for the endothermic methanol cracking reaction is provided by resistance heating.

A catalyst for decomposition of hydrocarbons that is hard to cause deterioration of catalytic properties and suitable for producing hydrogen in a highly efficient manner for a long period is provided. The catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons includes a nickel-containing layer exposed on a support layer selected from the group consisting of iron, cast iron, steel, copper, nickel, copper alloy, and iron nickel alloy. The catalyst for decomposition of hydrocarbons is produced by contacting a raw material of the catalyst with methane gas at an elevated temperature of 800° C. for 4 to 72 hours with an average residence time beyond 14 minutes. The catalyst further includes an interlayer comprising copper between the support layer and the nickel-containing layer, or the support layer is copper or copper alloy.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for producing hydrogen and graphitic carbon from a hydrocarbon gas comprising: contacting at a temperature between 600° C. and 1000° C. the catalyst with the hydrocarbon gas to catalytically convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen and graphitic carbon, wherein the catalyst is a low grade iron oxide.

The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for producing carbon and syngas from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The system includes a first reactor (7) for producing solid carbon (15) from a feed including CO.sub.2 and a volatile organic compound such as methane (1), and a second reactor (20) for producing syngas. Reactions in the first reactor (7) are conducted in a limited oxygen atmosphere. The second reactor (20) can use dry reforming, steam reforming, and/or partial oxidation reforming to produce the syngas (22).

Systems and methods for molten media pyrolysis for the conversion of methane into hydrogen and carbon-containing particles are disclosed. The systems and methods include the introduction of seed particles into the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger, more manageable carbon-containing particles. Additionally or alternatively, the systems and methods can include increasing the residence time of carbon-containing particles within the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger carbon-containing particles.

The present invention addresses to catalysts applicable to the conversion of CO to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 by the water-gas shift reaction. Such catalysts are made up of iron oxides, zirconium oxides, cerium oxides or a mixture of the same, promoted by platinum (Pt) contents between 0.1 and 0.4% m/m and with a sodium (Na) content below 0.01% m/m, based on the oxidized material. The present invention makes it possible to obtain catalysts with a high dispersion of Pt, with metallic particles of the order of 1 nm and methods of preparation by coprecipitation of soluble salts in aqueous medium using ammonium hydroxide as a precipitating agent.

Devices and methods for reducing the specific energy required to reform or pyrolyze reactants in plasmas operating at high flow rates and high pressures are presented. These systems and methods include 1) introducing electrons and/or easily ionized materials to a plasma reactor, 2) increasing turbulence and swirl velocity of the flows of feed gases to have improved mixing in a plasma reactor, and 3) reducing slippage from a plasma reactor system. Such plasma systems may allow plasma reactors to operate at lower temperatures, higher pressure, with improved plasma ignition, increased throughput and improved energy efficiency. In preferred embodiments, the plasma reactors are used to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon, or carbon monoxide through reforming and pyrolysis reactions. Preferred feedstocks include methane, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbons.

Provided is a method of generating hydrogen efficiently using a renewable resource as a raw material.

A method of producing hydrogen according to the present disclosure is a method in which hydrogen is generated from a saccharide in the presence of a solvent and the following catalyst: catalyst which contains at least one metal element selected from the metal elements in Groups 8, 9, and 10.

The catalyst is preferably a complex or salt of the metal element, and particularly preferably a complex including the at least one metal element selected from the metal elements in Groups 8, 9, and 10 and at least one ligand selected from pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, cyclopentadienyl, p-cymene, and 1,5-cyclooctadiene.

As the solvent, it is preferable to use at least one selected from an organic acid and an ionic liquid.

The saccharide may be a lignin-saccharide complex, and is preferably cellulose.