Sbir phase I: methane pyrolysis for high quality carbon black and low-carbon hydrogen production

Molten Industries Inc. received a $256,000 National Science Foundation Project Grant under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program to develop a novel method for tuning the production of high-quality solid carbon using methane pyrolysis. The company will conduct research to better understand carbon precipitation and formation in methane pyrolysis reactors. This will include developing an improved thermo-chemical model and reactor design to enable better control over producing solid carbon that can be used in tires, batteries, and concrete. The research is intended to increase the value of the solid carbon by-product produced alongside clean hydrogen in methane pyrolysis, with the goal of advancing this technology as a potential means of providing low-cost hydrogen with very low or negative carbon dioxide emissions at commercial production costs approaching $1.50 per kilogram of hydrogen.

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this small business innovation research (SBIR) phase I project is to provide low-cost hydrogen (H2) with a very low or even negative carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint at a commercial production cost reaching $1.50 per KG of H2 alongside a valuable solid carbon by-product, representing a technology advance for the american public and economy. The united states produces 10 million metric tons of hydrogen per year - 95% of IT via steam methane reforming (SMR). SMR emits 100 million tons of CO2 in the process. This represents a >$10 billion market in the US alone and an important opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions. Methane pyrolysis promises green hydrogen with >5 times less energy than water electrolysis at costs competitive with steam methane reforming by producing solid carbon instead of gaseous carbon dioxide. The solid carbon, if produced correctly, can be used in tires, batteries, and concrete. The research in this project could increase the value of the solid carbon by-product produced alongside clean hydrogen in methane pyrolysis. If successful, this technology could lead to expanded domestic production capabilities with net-zero emissions from sectors such as fertilizer, transportation (batteries, fuel cells, synthetic fuels, and tires), and heavy industry (steel and cement). This SBIR phase I project proposes to develop a novel method to tune the production of high-quality solid carbon using methane pyrolysis. Carbon black forms in pyrolysis reactors both homogeneously in the gas phase and heterogeneously on catalysts, reactor walls, and on seed particles entrained in the gas. By tuning temperature, residence time, flow profile, and seed materials, this project will result in an improved understanding of carbon precipitation and formation in methane pyrolysis reactors. This improved understanding and the development of a reactor thermochemical model will ultimately lead to better control of a process to produce high quality solid carbon that can be used in tires, batteries, and concrete. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.