One-step pyrolysis-catalytic hydrogen production by the oleaginous microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis

Weizheng Gao, Qixuan Wu, Zhongxiang Fu, Yaguang Li and Zhao Zhang

Energy, 2024, vol. 286, issue C

Abstract: In this study, one-step pyrolysis-catalytic hydrogen production was developed with the substance of a typical oleaginous microalga, Chromochloris zofingiensis, with Ni/Zr0.2Ce0.8O2 as the catalyst. Our results demonstrated that the formation of a ZrO2–CeO2 solid provided thermal stability to the catalyst and showed abundant active sites for catalysis. Moreover, 450 °C was the optimum temperature for hydrogen production by microalgae. At this temperature, hydrogen production reached 25.47 mmol g−1, with hydrogen accounting for 43.5 % of the total gas, comparable to results previously reported for “two-step” hydrogen production methos. Further studies showed that lipids within microalgal cells were the major substance for hydrogen production, whereas starch and protein had limited hydrogen-producing capabilities. Therefore, by increasing the lipid content to 33.1 % of cell dry weight through abiotic stress, the hydrogen yields significantly improved, reaching 47.71 mmol g−1, with hydrogen constituting 69.4 % of the total gas. In summary, our study proved that oleaginous microalgae were feasible feedstock for one-step pyrolysis-catalytic hydrogen production.

Keywords: Hydrogen; Microalgae; Pyrolysis; Catalyst; Lipids (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:286:y:2024:i:c:s0360544223030694

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.129675

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