STructured unconventional reactors for CO2-fRee Methane catalytic crackING

STORMING will develop breakthrough and innovative structured reactors heated using renewable electricity, to convert fossil and renewable CH4 into CO2-free H2 and highly valuable carbon nanomaterials for battery applications. More specifically, innovative Fe-based catalysts, highly active and easily regenerable by waste-free processes, will be developed through a smart rational catalyst design protocol, which combines theoretical (Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Calculations) and experimental (cluster) studies, all of them assisted by in situ & operando characterisation and Machine Learning tools. The electrification (microwave or joule-heated) of structured reactors, designed by Computational Fluid Dynamics and prepared by 3D printing, will enable an accurate thermal control resulting in high energy efficiency. The project will validate, at TRL 5, the most promising catalytic technology (chosen considering technological, economic, and environmental assessments) to produce H2 with energy efficiency (> 60%), net-zero emissions, and decreasing (ca. 10 %) the costs in comparison with the conventional process. The dissemination and communication of the results will boost the social acceptance of the H2-related technologies and the stakeholder engagement targeting short-term process exploitation and deployment. The key to reach the challenging objectives of STORMING is the highly complementary and interdisciplinary consortium, where basic and applied science merge with engineering, computer and social sciences.