Sustainable Hydrogen from Activated Carbon Derived from Fennel Waste

Hydrogen represents an environmentally friendly and renewable energy source that could substitute fossil fuels and diminish greenhouse gas emissions. However, conventional methods of producing hydrogen are frequently expensive, energy-intensive, or detrimental to the environment. This study proposes an innovative and eco-friendly approach for hydrogen production using activated carbon derived from fennel flower waste, an inexpensive agricultural by-product abundant in Qatar. The researchers prepared the activated carbon by carbonizing and chemically activating it with potassium hydroxide, and characterized its properties through various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. They subsequently evaluated the activated carbon’s catalytic performance in a hydrogen production system utilizing sodium borohydride and water as reactants, comparing the results with those obtained from commercial catalysts such as nickel and platinum. The findings revealed that the activated carbon derived from fennel flower waste exhibited a high hydrogen yield of 99.8%, which was comparable to or even surpassed that of the commercial catalysts. Furthermore, the activated carbon demonstrated good stability and reusability over multiple cycles. This study shows that fennel flower waste can be transformed into a valuable catalyst for hydrogen production, offering a sustainable and environmentally conscious solution for energy generation.