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Scientists at the Central South University in China have developed a novel catalyst system that could revolutionize clean hydrogen production by making it possible to generate hydrogen from methane at lower temperatures, while simultaneously tackling the challenge of carbon buildup that plagues existing methods.

Hydrogen is a highly coveted energy carrier thanks to its clean footprint and its ability to power fuel cells, but most commercial hydrogen today is made from fossil fuels in energy-intensive processes that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide.

While direct methane decomposition offers a simpler and theoretically carbon-neutral route, current approaches require very high temperatures and quickly lose effectiveness because carbon deposits build up on the catalyst surface.

The breakthrough, in Energy Environment Nexus, focuses on a new family of catalysts called Fe-doped nickel magnesium aluminate spinels. By precisely tuning the crystal lattice of materials labeled NiOMgAl_2-xFe_xO₄, the team engineered novel distortions in the atomic bonds that optimize the interactions driving methane decomposition.

This clever adjustment helped boost hydrogen yields at temperatures as low as 650°C—and significantly reduced the carbon "poisoning" that limits catalyst lifetimes.

In experimental tests, the best-performing catalyst achieved a methane conversion rate of over 91%, with similarly high hydrogen purity, under relatively mild conditions. The catalyst also demonstrated remarkable stability.

Even after 20 full cycles of methane conversion and carbon dioxide–assisted cleaning, it retained most of its activity, hinting at a practical path for long-term operation in industrial settings.

"Our work shows that crystal lattice distortions, tailored through iron doping, are crucial to both activating methane and promoting efficient hydrogen release," said corresponding author Zhiqiang Sun.

"These findings not only reveal new scientific insights but could dramatically advance catalyst design for large-scale hydrogen production."

By enabling low-temperature hydrogen creation and offering resilience to carbon blockage, this technology points to cheaper and greener production methods, with potential benefits for clean transportation, sustainable industrial processes, and the global energy transition.

The process also produces carbon as a solid byproduct—which may be harvested for valuable industrial uses, further improving the economics of clean hydrogen generation.