Reversible hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of benzene for hydrogen storage on highly dispersed Pd/γ-Al2O3 catalyst

Benzene as a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) can achieve the highest H2 storage capacity of 7.19 wt%. The highly dispersed Pd/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, which were prepared by using HNO3 as additive, exhibited superior performances in benzene hydrogenation and cyclohexane dehydrogenation. The highly dispersed metal Pd active centers and the strong electronic effects between the metal Pd and γ-Al2O3 support enhanced the adsorption and activation ability for the reactants H2, benzene and cyclohexane molecules. As a result, it provides an effective idea for large-scale storage and transport of H2 based on LOHC by benzene hydrogenation and cyclohexane dehydrogenation towards the clean and efficient use of hydrogen energy.