Renewable Hydrogen Production from Biomass Derivatives or Water on Trimetallic Based Catalysts

Hydrogen has emerged as a promising new energy source that can be produced in renewable mode, for example, from biomass derivatives reforming or water splitting. However, the conventional catalysts used for hydrogen production in renewable mode suffer from limitations in activity, selectivity, and/or stability. To overcome these limitations, nanostructured catalysts with multicomponent active phases, particularly trimetallic catalysts, are being explored. This catalyst formulation significantly enhances catalyst activity and effectively suppresses the undesired production of CO, CH4, or coke during the reforming of biomass derivatives for hydrogen formation. Moreover, the success of this approach extends to water splitting catalysis, where trimetallic based catalysts have demonstrated good performance in hydrogen production. Notably, trimetallic catalysts, composed of Ni, Fe, and a third metal, prove to be highly efficient in water splitting, bypassing the problems associated with traditional catalysts. That is, the high material costs of state-of-the-art catalysts as well as the limited activity and stability of alternative ones. Furthermore, theoretical methods play a vital role in understanding catalyst activity and/or selectivity, as well as in the design of catalysts with improved characteristics. These enable a comprehensive study of the complete reaction mechanism on a target catalyst and help in identifying potential reaction descriptors, allowing for efficient screening and selection of catalysts for enhanced hydrogen production. Overall, this critical review shows how the exploration of trimetallic catalysts, combined with the insights from theoretical methods, holds great promise in advancing hydrogen production through renewable means, paving the way for sustainable and efficient energy solutions.