Research Results

Clarification of the catalytic mechanism of platinum fine particles that decompose formic acid and selectively produce hydrogen gas

Key points of this study

• As a medium molecule that can store hydrogen, we focused on formic acid (HCOOH), which can be produced from carbon dioxide.
• The mechanism of hydrogen production based on formic acid decomposition, which has not been elucidated until now, has been clarified.

Summary

 Professor Yutaka Amao (Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Osaka City University) and Yusuke Minami (2^nd year doctoral student, Department of Materials and Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science) have clarified the mechanism by which platinum particles dispersed with polyvinylpyrrolidone, a polymer compound, function effectively as catalysts for the decomposition of formic acid to produce hydrogen.

 Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have been used as a useful energy resource, but it has been pointed out that they are a finite resource and are the main cause of global warming because they emit a large amount of CO₂ when used. One of the solutions to this problem is that hydrogen (H₂) has been attracting attention as a clean and sustainable energy source in recent years. In order to safely and efficiently transport and store hydrogen, liquefied hydrogen and ammonia are considered as energy carriers, but in this study, we focused on formic acid (HCOOH), which can be produced from carbon dioxide.

 This is the world's first study to have found that platinum particles dispersed with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (Pt-PVP) are effective as catalysts for the production of hydrogen by decomposing formic acid.

 The results of this research were published in the journal Sustainable Energy & Fuels, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Publication Information

All Press Release (PDF:348KB)

Article source: Osaka City University website