Mechanism to H2 production on rhenium carbide from pyrolysis of coconut shell

This paper reports, for the first time, the use of Re2C as a catalyst for H-2 production from biomass. Re2C has been synthesized from rhenium and graphite using 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries. The highest H-2 productions are obtained at 800 degrees C using 10 wt % of Re2C catalysts. The yield of hydrogen production using Re2C (1:1) as a catalyst is 53.8%, while with Re2C (2:1) as a catalyst, it is 57.0%. The yield of 57.0% hydrogen using the Re2C (2:1) catalyst is the highest reported using biomass. The TPR and FTIR indicate that the Re from the Re2C is the main catalytic center involved in hydrogen generation from the decomposition of coconut shell. Finally, we proved that Re2C is a good material that can be used as a catalyst in H-2 production from biomass. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.