Novel oxides for cycled hydrogen production from methane and water using a temperature swing

Much effort was devoted to decreasing the reaction temperature in order to lower the energy cost, eliminating deactivation of the catalyst due to carbon deposition on its surface, and improving the reaction rate. A group of iron-doped rare-earth higher oxides of Ce, Tb, and Pr, which were designed as the oxygen supplier and storage material during a novel two-step reaction process that was carried out separately during the oxidation of methane and the reduction of water by swinging the reaction temperature. It was found that the reactions were a cycling process and the working temperature was significantly lower than that required for reforming.