Pulsed laser induced plasma and thermal effects on molybdenum carbide for dry reforming of methane.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a highly endothermic process, with its development hindered by the harsh thermocatalytic conditions required. We propose an innovative DRM approach utilizing a 16 W pulsed laser in combination with a cost-effective Mo 2 C catalyst, enabling DRM under milder conditions. The pulsed laser serves a dual function by inducing localized high temperatures and generating * CH plasma on the Mo 2 C surface. This activates CH 4 and CO 2 , significantly accelerating the DRM reaction. Notably, the laser directly generates * CH plasma from CH 4 through thermionic emission and cascade ionization, bypassing the traditional step-by-step dehydrogenation process and eliminating the rate-limiting step of methane cracking. This method maintains a carbon-oxygen balanced environment, thus preventing the deactivation of the Mo 2 C catalyst due to CO 2 oxidation. The laser-catalytic DRM achieves high yields of H 2 (14300.8 mmol h -1 g -1 ) and CO (14949.9 mmol h -1 g -1 ) with satisfactory energy efficiency (0.98 mmol kJ -1 ), providing a promising alternative for high-energy-consuming catalytic systems.