Submitted on Aprill 07, 2026 to AIChE-2026 annual conference.
Zero-carbon hydrogen production by thermo-chemical water splitting. Abstract. Synergy of (1) New kind of catalysts. It is a reversible circular reaction (catalyst in wide sense), that is added to a target reaction to form a joint process. (2) Wind and solar energy can be in order of magnitude cheapened. For example, the water thermolysis at breakthrough lower temperature is estimated just below. (1) Catalyst is 0.5 * N2 + 1.5 * H2 = NH3, is joined with 0.365 mol of the water splitting, it gives a heat in electricity as a by-product and 0.365 mol of H2 at T > 770 Celsius vs. conventional 2500 C. Because all reagents are circular and so practically free, the hydrogen OPEX cost is a cost of energy consumed, so a heat of (55 + 0.365 * 248) kJ = 139 kJ /0.365 = 400 kJ/mol minus a cost of the sold electricity, and with a Capex of USD 67/ 0.73 = 90/ton H2, it is in sum about USD 170 /ton H2. (2) Catalyst: CO2 + H2 = HCOOH - formic acid. Joint target reaction: HCOOH + 0.4 * (H2O = H2 +...