Method for reducing metal oxide and method for producing hydrogen

Abstract

A method for reducing a metal oxide and a method for manufacturing hydrogen are provided for easily reducing an oxide of a metal that decomposes water to generate hydrogen, using a gas that includes hydrocarbons, such as municipal gas. The method for reducing the metal oxide includes the step of reducing, using a reducing gas that includes hydrocarbons, a medium comprising an oxide of a metal that decomposes water to generate hydrogen, and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum group elements, copper, nickel and cobalt. Furthermore, the method for manufacturing hydrogen includes the above-described reducing step, and a water-decomposing step of reacting water with the medium that is reduced in the reducing step, to generate hydrogen.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.