PFI (MCA): Hydrogen and Solid Carbon Production with Electrified Methane Pyrolysis in Zeolite-Protected, Metal Membrane Reactor

这个创新中期发展伙伴关系（PFI（MCA））项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于直接甲烷热解系统，该系统将氢气生产，分离和纯化集成到紧凑的模块化膜反应器中。这种膜反应器旨在提供一种低成本、高能效和零排放的方法来生产氢气和固体碳，从而实现氢气经济。来自所提出的技术的无排放氢气和碳纳米管产品都可能提供经济价值。该项目提供了一个平台，使下一代的科学家，工程师和企业家，特别是从代表性不足的学生群体，包括妇女，少数民族和残疾人的教育。首席研究员将接受高级导师的培训和指导，以培养解决潜在工业客户痛点的技能。该项目旨在实现高效耐用的膜反应器，用于在中等温度下直接热解甲烷，以生产脱碳氢气和碳纳米管。这些反应器解决了由于缺乏活性和稳定的膜和催化剂材料而使用于从甲烷热解制氢的膜反应器商业化的潜在挑战。拟议的研究旨在推进膜反应器技术和沸石表面结晶的基础知识，以及提高钯基膜对气体杂质的抗性的方法，以及分级沸石负载催化剂对甲烷活化的影响。 该团队还将研究空间和时间温度控制对反应器中甲烷热解的影响，以及膜反应器材料合成的预测相关性。从该提案中获得的基本概念和技术可能为材料发现和技术开发开辟新的途径，从而影响未来的氢经济。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation-Mid-Career Advancement (PFI (MCA)) project lies in the direct methane pyrolysis system that integrates hydrogen production, separation, and purification into a compact modular membrane reactor. This membrane reactor seeks to provide a low-cost, high energy-efficiency and zero-emission approach to producing hydrogen and solid carbon, enabling a hydrogen economy. Both emission-free hydrogen and carbon nanotube products from the proposed technology may offer economic value. The project provides a platform that enables the education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, especially from the underrepresented student groups including women, minorities, and people with disabilities. The principal investigator will receive training and guidance from the senior mentor to develop skills to address the pain points of potential industrial customers.This project seeks to enable highly-efficient and durable membrane reactors for direct methane pyrolysis at moderate temperatures for production of decarbonized hydrogen and carbon nanotubes. These reactors address the underlying challenges in commercializing membrane reactors for hydrogen production from methane pyrolysis due to the scarcity of active and stable membrane and catalyst materials. The proposed research seek to advance the membrane reactor technology and foundational knowledge of surface crystallization of zeolites and methods to improve resistance of palladium-based membranes to gas impurities and the effects of hierarchical zeolite-supported catalysts on methane activation. The team will also examine the effects of spatial and temporal temperature control on methane pyrolysis in the reactor, as well as the predictive correlations of materials synthesis for the membrane reactors. The fundamental concepts and technologies obtained from this proposal may enable new avenues of material discovery and technique development that can impact the future hydrogen economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.