Efficient catalytic greenhouse gas-free hydrogen and aldehyde formation from aqueous alcohol solutions

Abstract

Hydrogen is an ideal fuel candidate due to its clean combustion characteristics. Here we report an inexpensive and sustainable Mo-based, carbon-supported catalyst that generates H₂ and the corresponding aldehyde from aqueous methanol or ethanol at high rates with negligible greenhouse gas co-production. The aldehyde coproducts lend value to this process without producing CO₂.