Dwi Irawan, Widya Wijayanti, Slamet Wahyudi, I.N.G. Wardana
This study investigates the production of methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2) from the pyrolysis of corn cob biomass using an ex situ method, comparing the performance with and without a sodium bentonite catalyst. The raw material, corn cob waste, is ground, dried, and sieved using a 40-mesh screen. Pyrolysis is conducted at temperatures up to 550 °C, with cleaned and dried sodium bentonite serving as the catalyst. The characterization of the catalyst includes swelling tests, BET, SEM, and DTA/TGA analyses to determine its physical and chemical properties. The results indicate that the use of sodium bentonite catalyst increases H2 production, reaching a peak of 842 ppm at 489 s and 442 °C, compared to 656 ppm at 378 s and 458 °C without the catalyst. Sodium bentonite accelerates the reaction rate, reduces activation energy, and minimizes tar formation, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of the resulting syngas. The study demonstrates that sodium bentonite is effective in enhancing hydrogen production from biomass pyrolysis, offering an environmentally friendly and economical solution for industrial applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.
Doctoral Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro, Lampung, Indonesia
