Production of hydrogen by catalytic methane decomposition using biochar and activated char produced from biosolids pyrolysis

Abstract Catalytic methane decomposition (CMD) was studied by employing biochar and activated char of biosolids’ origin under different reaction temperatures and methane concentrations. Higher reaction temperatures and lower inlet methane concentrations were found to be favourable for achieving higher methane conversion. A maximum initial methane conversion of 71.0 ± 2.5 and 65.2 ± 2.3% was observed for activated char and biochar, respectively at 900 °C and for 10% CH4 in N2 within the first 0.5 h of experiment. Active sites from oxygen containing carboxylic acid functional groups and smaller pore volume and pore diameter were attributed to assist in higher initial methane conversion for biochar and activated char respectively. However, rapid blockages of active sites and surfaces of biochar and activated char due to carbon formation have caused a rapid decline in methane conversion values in the first 0.5 h. Later on, crystalline nature of the newly formed carbon deposits due to their higher catalytic activity have stabilised methane conversion values for an extended experimental period of 6 h for both biochar and activated char. The final conversion values at the end of 6 h experiment with biochar and activated char at 900 °C and for 10% CH4 in N2, were found to be 40 ± 1.9 and 35 ± 1.6% respectively. Analysing carbon deposits in detail revealed that carbon nanofiber type structures were observed at 700 °C while nanospheres of carbon were found at 900 °C.