Plasma-Assisted Hydrogen Production: Technologies, Challenges, and Future Prospects

As global demand for clean energy continues to rise, hydrogen, as an ideal energy carrier, plays a crucial role in the energy transition. Traditional hydrogen production methods predominantly rely on fossil fuels, leading to environmental pollution and energy inefficiency. In contrast, plasma-assisted hydrogen production, as an emerging technology, has gained significant attention due to its high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and flexibility. Plasma technology generates high-energy electrons or ions by exciting gas molecules, which, under specific conditions, effectively decompose water vapor or hydrocarbon gases to produce hydrogen. This review systematically summarizes the basic principles, technological routes, research progress, and potential applications of plasma-assisted hydrogen production. It focuses on various plasma-based hydrogen production methods, such as water vapor decomposition, hydrocarbon cracking, arc discharge, and microwave discharge, highlighting their advantages and challenges. Additionally, it addresses key issues facing plasma-assisted hydrogen production, including energy efficiency improvement, reactor stability, and cost optimization, and discusses the future prospects of these technologies. With ongoing advancements, plasma-assisted hydrogen production is expected to become a mainstream technology for hydrogen production, contributing to global goals of zero carbon emissions and sustainable energy development.