Microwave-enhanced hydrogen production: a review

Currently, the massive use of fossil fuels, which still serve as the dominant global energy, has led to the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases. Providing abundant, clean, and safe renewable energy is one of the major technical challenges for humankind. Nowadays, hydrogen-based energy is widely considered a potentially ideal energy carrier that could provide clean energy in the fields of transportation, heat and power generation, and energy storage systems, almost without any impact on the environment after consumption. However, a smooth energy transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to hydrogen-based energy must overcome a number of key challenges that require scientific, technological, and economic support. To accelerate the hydrogen energy transition, advanced, efficient, and cost-effective methods for producing hydrogen from hydrogen-rich materials need to be developed. Therefore, in this study, a new alternative method based on the use of microwave (MW) heating technology in enhanced hydrogen production pathways from plastic, biomass, low-carbon alcohols, and methane pathways compared with conventional heating methods is discussed. Furthermore, the mechanisms of MW heating, MW-assisted catalysis, and MW plasma are also discussed. MW-assisted technology usually has the advantages of low energy consumption, easy operation, and good safety practices, which make it a promising solution to supporting the future hydrogen society.