Carbon-Coated Catalytic Static Mixers for Dual-Function Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Hydrogenation and Dehydrogenation

The efficient immobilization of active catalyst materials onto surfaces of complex scaffold geometries remains a key challenge in the development of high-performance structured reactor systems. We demonstrate, for the first time, a carbon-based coating for the direct deposition of a carbon black-supported platinum catalyst onto an additively manufactured stainless steel catalytic static mixer (CSM). The conformal carbon-based coating provides mechanical stability comparable to that of conventional alumina supports while offering a chemically robust interface for catalyst immobilization. In liquid organic hydrogen carrier hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, the carbon-coated CSMs exhibit higher activity than industrial benchmark catalysts and reduced side product formation in the dehydrogenation, relative to alumina-based catalysts. Moreover, the carbon-based catalyst enables dual functionality within a single catalyst system, eliminating the need for separate hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalysts. Beyond catalytic performance, the integration of the carbon coating with the structured stainless steel CSM architecture enhances heat/mass transfer and reduces pressure drop, offering distinct advantages over pelletized and slurry-based systems. The developed carbon-based CSM offers a versatile platform that extends the reach of carbon-based catalysis across diverse catalytic processes.