Method of and apparatus for producing hydrogen from methanol

Abstract

An apparatus for producing hydrogen from methanol in a simple manner comprises a container ( 4 ) that retains liquid methanol ( 2 ) as a source material and gases ( 3 ) generated therein, a substrate ( 5 ) that is immersed in liquid methanol ( 2 ) in the container ( 4 ) loaded with a catalyst, and a power supply ( 6 ) for passing a direct or an alternating current through the substrate ( 5 ). The substrate may be made of an oxide or oxidized material, especially oxidized diamond, and loaded with a transition metal catalyst, especially Ni catalyst. With the substrate ( 5 ) heated, a novel catalytic methanol decomposition reaction occurs by a combination of abrupt temperature gradient directing towards methanol from the surface of the substrate, a catalysis of the oxide or oxidized material of the substrate and a catalysis of the catalyst loaded on the substrate, and a large amount of hydrogen gas is produced.

1 . An apparatus for producing hydrogen from liquid methanol comprising:
 a container for holding liquid methanol and generated hydrogen gas provided with methanol inlet port for supplying liquid methanol and outlet port for taking out the generated hydrogen;   a substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of oxidized diamond, silicon dioxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium dioxide, titanium dioxide and activated carbon; and   a catalyst loaded on said substrate, which is a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Pt, and Ru, and a means for heating said substrate,   whereby heating said substrate to a minimum of about 300° C. forms abrupt temperature gradient directing from said substrate surface toward said liquid methanol, and methanol decomposition reaction yielded by said abrupt temperature gradient, the catalytic reaction of said catalyst, and by the catalytic action of said substrate decomposes methanol to generate hydrogen gas.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for producing hydrogen from methanol as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that said substrate loaded with a catalyst is a substrate having electric conductivity, or a substrate having a resistive substance, and the means for heating said substrate is an electrical power supplying means for heating by supplying electric current to said substrate having electric conductivity, or said substrate having a resistive substance. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus adapted to produce hydrogen from liquid methanol by the step of
 heating a substrate loaded with a catalyst in liquid methanol, wherein an abrupt temperature gradient directing from a surface of said substrate toward the liquid methanol is formed, and a methanol decomposition reaction is yielded by the abrupt temperature gradient, the catalytic reaction of said catalyst, and by the catalytic reaction of said substrate decomposes methanol to generate hydrogen gas;   wherein during the heating of said substrate, said substrate is heated to a minimum of about 300° C.;   said apparatus comprising:   a container for holding liquid methanol and generated hydrogen gas, said container provided with a methanol inlet port for supplying liquid methanol and an outlet port for removing the generated hydrogen;   a substrate made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of oxidized diamond, silicon dioxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium dioxide, titanium dioxide and activated carbon;   a catalyst loaded on said substrate, said catalyst being at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Pt, and Ru; and   a means for heating said substrate and causing an abrupt temperature gradient directing from said substrate surface toward the liquid methanol, the temperature gradient being sufficient to cause the heated catalytically loaded substrate surface to catalytically decompose the liquid methanol to generate hydrogen gas.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for producing hydrogen from methanol as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that said substrate is
 a substrate having electric conductivity, or   a substrate having a resistive substance, and   said means for heating said substrate is an electrical power supplying means supplying electric current to said substrate having electric conductivity, or said substrate having a resistive substance.