Clean Production of Hydrogen via Laser-Induced Methane Conversion

Abstract

A novel technique based on the multi-photon dissociation of methane for hydrogen production has been developed. The study was carried out with a simple setup using UV laser radiation at 355 nm wavelength. The hydrogen yield achieved at ambient temperature and one atmospheric pressure is 6.6 mole %. The conversion process of methane to produce hydrogen was investigated under different experimental parameters such as laser exposure time, laser power, and methane pressure. The quantum efficiency of these processes was also estimated. The maximum quantum efficiency of 42% was attained for 30 minutes of laser exposure of methane at 1 atmospheric pressure.