This was reported by the press service of the Institute of Catalysts of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Formic acid is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor. It occurs naturally and can be found in the secretions of ants and bees, as well as in nettles, pine needles, and some fruits. Hydrogen storage and synthesis technologies are being actively developed in light of the current environmental agenda. Russia currently produces about 7% of the world's hydrogen, and plans are in place to increase this share to 20% by 2030.
Formic acid is considered a promising and efficient hydrogen carrier due to its availability, stability, and low toxicity. Scientists from the Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China are working to solve a number of problems related to the development of catalytic systems for a two-stage hydrogen synthesis process, in which formic acid is first produced from biomass (starch and glucose), and then hydrogen is obtained from it.
Scientists at the institute noted that the temperature required for hydrogen synthesis from natural gas or coal with water vapor currently exceeds 700 degrees Celsius. The approach proposed by the scientists would allow for a reduction of the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius. The research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Fund.
Professor Guanghong Xiang from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China stated that international cooperation is helping to accelerate the development of hydrogen technology, and that within the project, they are responsible for developing and evaluating the efficiency of hydrogen production. He added that international cooperation is speeding up the development of hydrogen technology, as groups exchange knowledge and experiences, utilize shared resources, and work together to convert solar energy into clean chemical energy.
