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High-purity hydrogen production from dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane catalyzed by zeolite-encapsulated subnanometer platinum-iron clusters

Author

Listed:
  • Zhe He

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Kailang Li

    (Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Tianxiang Chen

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom)

  • Yunchao Feng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Eduardo Villalobos-Portillo

    (Cerdanyola del Vallès)

  • Carlo Marini

    (Cerdanyola del Vallès)

  • Tsz Woon Benedict Lo

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom)

  • Fuyuan Yang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Liang Zhang

    (Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Lichen Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) are considered promising carriers for large-scale H2 storage and transportation, among which the toluene-methylcyclohexane cycle has attracted great attention from industry and academia because of the low cost and its compatibility with the current infrastructure facility for the transportation of chemicals. The large-scale deployment of the H2 storage/transportation plants based on the toluene-methylcyclohexane cycle relies on the use of high-performance catalysts, especially for the H2 release process through the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane. In this work, we have developed a highly efficient catalyst for MCH dehydrogenation reaction by incorporating subnanometer PtFe clusters with precisely controlled composition and location within a rigid zeolite matrix. The resultant zeolite-encapsulated PtFe clusters exhibit the up-to-date highest reaction rate for dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane to toluene, very high chemoselectivity to toluene (enabling the production of H2 with purity >99.9%), remarkably high stability (>2000 h) and regenerability over consecutive reaction-regeneration cycles.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhe He & Kailang Li & Tianxiang Chen & Yunchao Feng & Eduardo Villalobos-Portillo & Carlo Marini & Tsz Woon Benedict Lo & Fuyuan Yang & Liang Zhang & Lichen Liu, 2025. "High-purity hydrogen production from dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane catalyzed by zeolite-encapsulated subnanometer platinum-iron clusters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-55370-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55370-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Niermann, M. & Timmerberg, S. & Drünert, S. & Kaltschmitt, M., 2021. "Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers and alternatives for international transport of renewable hydrogen," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. Luning Chen & Pragya Verma & Kaipeng Hou & Zhiyuan Qi & Shuchen Zhang & Yi-Sheng Liu & Jinghua Guo & Vitalie Stavila & Mark D. Allendorf & Lansun Zheng & Miquel Salmeron & David Prendergast & Gabor A., 2022. "Reversible dehydrogenation and rehydrogenation of cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane by single-site platinum catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
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