Development of ruthenium-based heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogen production from polyols

Abstract

The ever-increasing demand for sustainable resources to support clean energy production and chemical needs has surged due to the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels, population growth, and the booming industrial sector worldwide. The global consumption of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and other pollutants are accelerating climate change, ultimately resulting in global warming. It is imperative to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas and seek out renewable and sustainable fuel sources. In this context, hydrogen has emerged as a clean energy carrier, yet its production and storage present formidable challenges due to the unique physical properties of hydrogen gas. In this regard, liquid hydrogen storage material (LHSM) such as formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol and other polyols are attractive candidates for on-demand hydrogen production, as they are liquid in nature and hence safe to handle and transport. Herein, an attempt has been made to design and develop efficient catalytic systems for generating hydrogen gas from abundantly available biomass-derived polyols e.g., ethylene glycol (EG) and glycerol (GLY).