Development of ruthenium based molecular catalysts for hydrogen production from formic acid

Abstract

The global energy demand is predicted to rise significantly in the coming decades due to various factors such as population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and increasing standards of living, meeting this demand with sustainable energy sources will be crucial in the near future. Traditional energy sources such as fossil fuels are major contributors to air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbate climate change and its associated impacts such as global warming, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise. Hence, recent technological advancements have focused on developing a society that offers low environmental impact and high energy efficiency. In this context, hydrogen has been identified as a clean and eco-friendly alternative energy carrier with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, the flammable nature of hydrogen gas poses a challenge for its handling and storage, which in turn limits its application as a fuel source. Furthermore, the utilization of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) has emerged as a promising approach to address the challenges associated with the storage and transportation of hydrogen. LOHCs such as methanol (12.4 wt%), formaldehyde (8.4 wt%), and formic acid (4.4 wt%) have recently received significant attention as viable options for storing and transporting hydrogen safely and efficiently. Therefore, there is a growing need for cost-effective and sustainable methods to produce, store and distribute hydrogen, which can be facilitated with LOHCs.