Hydrogen production from biomass via a near-room temperature aqueous-phase tandem catalytic approach

Hydrogen is pivotal for the shift towards cleaner energy systems, prompting the need for sustainable, efficient green hydrogen production methods. This study introduced a one-pot hydrogen production process from biomass through a glucose-formic acid-hydrogen pathway. Using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant, the optimized MgO nanoflowers catalyst yielded an impressive 81.17 % conversion of glucose to formic acid. Investigation into the catalytic mechanism showed that MgO crystallinity markedly influences catalytic performance, with simulation calculations indicating superior kinetic and thermodynamic benefits in α-scission reactions, enhancing formic acid generation. Direct catalytic dehydrogenation of the crude formic acid solution yielded 88.45 % hydrogen from glucose at nearly ambient temperature within an hour, equivalent to 580 mL H₂/g glucose. Extending this catalytic approach, hydrogen was produced from food waste through acid-catalyzed hydrolysis to glucose, followed by oxidation and dehydrogenation, demonstrating an efficient and sustainable route for green hydrogen production from biomass and food waste.