The collaborative research project InnoHyppy, featuring experts from the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL), alongside partners from Lithuania and Slovenia, has been highlighted as a "Success Story" by the European network M.ERA-NET. The consortium successfully demonstrated how to transform waste aluminum into cleaner hydrogen by combining catalyst innovation, regeneration, and by-product valorization into a circular methane pyrolysis concept.
To lower the carbon footprint and avoid critical raw materials, the team converted waste aluminum into high-purity catalyst support materials via hydrolysis – a process that inherently produces hydrogen. Building on this, they developed an innovative catalyst system using iron for stability and nickel nanoclusters for enhanced activity. This breakthrough resulted in higher methane conversion performance at lower temperatures, achieving hydrogen yields of up to 82% at 700 °C.
Beyond primary hydrogen yields, the project prioritized true circularity by extending catalyst lifespans and repurposing waste. Researchers developed a novel plasma-based regeneration approach for coked catalysts that enabled up to 38% carbon removal, significantly extending their operational lifetime. Furthermore, the carbonaceous by-products of the methane pyrolysis process were successfully valorized and repurposed into working electrodes for pesticide detection technologies.
This integrated approach to clean hydrogen production has resulted in nine scientific articles, a national patent, presentations at 15 international conferences, and extensive public outreach. Encouraged by the M.ERA-NET recognition and the project's robust results, the consortium is now exploring new opportunities to expand this concept, advancing innovative technologies and accelerating the global transition toward sustainable energy solutions.
