Hydrogen production via microwave-assisted pyrolysis – A review

The pursuit of carbon neutrality has made hydrogen energy a vital zero-carbon, efficient, and clean energy carrier. In the field of thermochemical conversion, microwave-assisted pyrolysis has emerged as a promising approach for producing hydrogen from methane and various organic wastes. Unlike conventional heating, microwave irradiation delivers energy directly to molecules through dielectric loss, enabling uniform and selective heating of materials. Under microwave fields, all dielectric substances dissipate electromagnetic energy as heat—a fundamental property that drives the pyrolysis process. This review highlights recent progress in hydrogen generation via microwave pyrolysis of methane, plastic, and biomass wastes. Key operational factors such as temperature, duration, microwave power, feedstock characteristics, particle size, blending ratios, dielectric behavior, pretreatment, and the role of catalysts or microwave absorbers are examined, with particular focus on their impact on hydrogen output. Additionally, current limitations and prospective research priorities are outlined for each feedstock type, aiming to guide future efforts toward more efficient, energy-saving, and low-carbon hydrogen production.