Electro-catalytic dehydrogenation

Description of capability

Rui Zeng in the Yogesh (Yogi) Surendranath Group is working on catalytic conversions that use a palladium membrane (and typically a rubidium/cesium catalyst.)
Hydrogen dissociates at the palladium membrane surface, diffuses through the palladium in atomic form, and forms H2 or H2O on the other surface.
The membrane can have a voltage bias, and be exposed to a molten salt electrolyte on the other side, and there can be a counter-electrode in that molten salt, which allows you to essentially drive the hydrogen away from the palladium membrane.
The hydrogen forms H2O upon exiting the palladium membrane, and evolves from H2O to H2 further away upon contacting the counter-electrode.
This can be used for several applications:
- Ammonia cracking ( $N H_{3} \to H_{2} + N_{2}$ )
- Methane catalysis: $C H_{4} + H_{2} O \to C O_{2} + H_{2}$
- Ethane de-hydrogenation (Chemical process to make ethylene and hydrogen from ethane)
Yogi recommends focusing on ammonia cracking first.

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