Enhancing hydrogen production via plasma-assisted methanol decomposition using structured porous electrodes with photocatalytic interfaces

Liquid-phase plasma discharge (LPD) provides a rapid and on-demand route for hydrogen production from methanol under ambient conditions. Herein, the effects of electrode structure and input power on methanol decomposition by LPD are systematically investigated using three configurations: Ti, Ti-pNi, and Ti-pNi@TiO 2 . Structured electrodes markedly enhanced plasma-liquid interactions by reshaping the local electric field, causing more uniform and spatially extended discharges. At low to moderate powers, the Ti-pNi@TiO 2 electrode exhibits the highest energy efficiency, achieving a minimum energy consumption of 1.71 kWh/Nm 3 H 2 due to synergistic plasma excitation and photocatalytic activation. At higher powers, the Ti-pNi electrode delivers the maximum gas flow rate of 1146.40 mL/min, as the TiO 2 layer introduces resistive field screening that constrains discharge propagation. Post-discharge surface analyses reveal that the porous structures suppress carbon deposition and mitigate plasma-induced erosion, thereby improving electrode durability. These results demonstrate the decisive role of electrode structure in balancing hydrogen yield and energy efficiency in LPD-based hydrogen production.