Enhancement of Gas and Hydrogen Yield with Mechanochemically Activated Catalysts
Mechanochemical activation of kaolin proved to be a promising method for enhancing hydrogen production during the thermochemical conversion of biomass. Kaolin is a naturally occurring aluminosilicate mineral in large quantities, generally exhibits low reactivity in its raw form. However, its activat...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| Online Access: | https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/15292 |
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| Summary: | Mechanochemical activation of kaolin proved to be a promising method for enhancing hydrogen production during the thermochemical conversion of biomass. Kaolin is a naturally occurring aluminosilicate mineral in large quantities, generally exhibits low reactivity in its raw form. However, its activation by combined mechanical and chemical treatments transforms into a catalytically active material capable of promoting the production of hydrogen-rich gas. This process involves grinding and often coupled with chemical additives, which induces structural deformations and increases the specific surface area, effectively improving the reactivity of kaolin in thermal reactions. The resulting mechanochemically activated kaolin provides an improved catalytic surface for hydrogen production in processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. Mechanically induced lattice defects and increased amorphization improve the catalytic efficiency of kaolin by exposing more active sites. At the same time, chemical treatments change the acidity of the kaolin and induce cation exchange, which promotes the breaking of hydrocarbon bonds. Studies have shown that mechanochemically activated kaolin promotes water-gas shift and reforming reactions, optimizing conditions for higher hydrogen selectivity and yield by improving reaction kinetics and reducing the formation of tar byproducts. This study highlights the potential application of mechanochemically activated kaolin to promote biomass thermochemical processes for sustainable hydrogen production. |
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| ISSN: | 2283-9216 |