Transform Materials has developed an energy-efficient process that converts the methane in natural gas into high-value hydrogen and acetylene using microwave plasma technology.

With its newly developed technology, the Florida-based company breaks down methane and other similar light hydrocarbon gases without oxygen, recombining the resulting fragments into hydrogen and acetylene.

The key to the transformation is a patented microwave plasma reactor system that generators the products from methane efficiently at high rates of conversion and selectivity.

David Soane, CEO of Transform Materials, said, “Our process is clean and cost-effective, employs robust and off-the-shelf microwave hardware, and requires a relatively compact plant footprint.”