Hydrocarbon pyrolysis using submicron-sized high entropy alloy catalyst for production of hydrogen

A method comprising:

• purging a reactor with an inert gas so as to remove oxygen, water, or a combination thereof, wherein the inert gas comprises nitrogen, argon, or any combination thereof;
• introducing a hydrocarbon to the reactor,
• wherein the reactor contains therein a catalyst,
• wherein the catalyst comprises a high entropy alloy and an aluminum-based catalyst support,
• wherein the catalyst is present in a form of a first plurality of particles,
• wherein the first plurality of particles is submicron-sized,
• wherein the high entropy alloy has an entropy, S, such that S≥12.47 J K−1 mol−1, and
• wherein the high entropy alloy comprises at least five of:
• iron, cobalt, manganese, nickel, molybdenum, copper, zinc, titanium, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, gallium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, indium, tungsten, rhenium, iridium, platinum, gold, and bismuth;
• and
• reacting the hydrocarbon with the catalyst to produce solid carbon and produced gas,
• wherein the produced gas comprises hydrogen gas.

A method comprising:

• introducing a hydrocarbon to a reactor,
• wherein the reactor contains therein a catalyst,
• wherein the reactor is substantially absent of oxygen and water,
• wherein the catalyst comprises a high entropy alloy and an aluminum-based catalyst support,
• wherein the catalyst is present in a form of a first plurality of particles,
• wherein the first plurality of particles is submicron-sized,
• wherein the high entropy alloy has an entropy, S, such that S≥12.47 J K−1 mol−1, and
• wherein the high entropy alloy consists essentially of iron, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and
• a) molybdenum,
• b) copper, or
• c) molybdenum and copper;
• and
• reacting the hydrocarbon over the catalyst to produce solid carbon and hydrogen gas.