Catalytic Methane Decompositionwith Molten NiMoBi catalyst: : Influence of Parameters on Hydrogen Yield

This master’s thesis presents an experimental investigation into catalytic methane decompositionas a method for hydrogen production using a molten alloy catalyst composed of bismuth, nickel,and molybdenum. Conducted as part of a collaborative thesis project where two students studiedthe same reactor system, this work focused on evaluating catalyst performance, reactor behavior,and carbon product formation. An accompanying literature review and a computational fluiddynamics modeling done by my student colleague informed the design and interpretation of theexperiments. A long-duration catalytic methane decomposition run at approximately 1100 oCdemonstrated sustained hydrogen production with no observable catalyst deactivation over 60hours, highlighting the catalyst’s self-regenerating nature. XRD and SEM analyses confirmed theformation of solid carbon and indicated no significant catalyst fouling or persistent oxidation.High hydrogen selectivity (above 99%) was achieved at elevated temperatures, significantlyreducing the presence of side products. The carbon formed exhibited fibrous, tube-likemorphologies with potential commercial value. Gas-phase radicals were also detected in theproduct gas, indicating ongoing homogeneous reactions. The results further confirm literaturefindings that lower flow rates, higher temperatures, and greater nozzle submersion improvemethane conversion. This study contributes to the growing understanding ofliquid-metal-catalyzed catalytic methane decomposition and lays a foundation for future reactoroptimization and process development.