Performance of Fe₂O₃/LaFeO₃ as oxygen carrier in chemical-looping hydrogen generation

Fe₂O₃/LaFeO₃ was prepared by citric acid complexation method and used as oxygen carrier in chemical-looping hydrogen generation; the effect of Fe₂O₃/CH₄ ratio, stream amount and metal loading on the performance of Fe₂O₃/LaFeO₃ as oxygen carrier at 900 ℃ and atmospheric pressure were investigated. The results showed that the oxygen carrier performs best with CH₄ conversion of 60% and single-loop H₂ output of 45 mL, when the ratio of Fe₂O₃/CH₄, stream input and Fe loading are 2, 0.1 mL, 15%, respectively. The XRD and H₂-TPR results suggest that the active site is the adsorbed oxygen rather than metal oxide; the easier for the reduction of the adsorbed oxygen, the higher are the conversion of CH₄ and the output of H₂. Moreover, the oxygen carrier is still in perovskite structure and CH₄ conversion and H₂ output remain stable even after 60 cycles.