How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in a continuous process

Phys · Aug 05, 2026 · 826 words · By Regine Rachow

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What to know about How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in a continuous process

The article describes a new catalyst developed by LIKAT and the company OxFA that allows for the continuous extraction of hydrogen from biomass-based formic acid. The process utilizes a two-phase system to handle diluted aqueous solutions, potentially offering a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel-based hydrogen production.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in a continuous process Sadie Harley Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor With annual production of around 1 million metric tons (1.1 million tons), formic acid is one of the most important basic…

Why it matters

It is also increasingly attracting attention as an H2 carrier.

Common ground

To date, its production has relied on fossil raw materials, which are to be replaced in the long term by sustainable raw materials.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in a continuous process?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that A patent application has been filed for the jointly developed process?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-hydrogen-bio-based-formic-acid.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 6

verified Verified By Reference 2

info

Claim 1: “A patent application has been filed for the jointly developed process.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The filing of a patent for the jointly developed process is mentioned only in the source 'How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in...'. Other results are general patent search tools or unrelated videos.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A patent application has been filed for the jointly developed process. Following formic acid production, the process represents the second step in sustainable and climate-friendly hydrogen production …
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-hydrogen-bio-based-formic-acid…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A powerful, flexible web-based patent search application that improves the overall patent searching process. It includes two user selected interfaces that provide enhanced access to prior art.
https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search/patent-public-search

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — King Process is a video that wants to share the process of making everything we make and use in our daily lives with people all over the world. We will do our best to impress everyone who watches the …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ3XCHz8nq4

info

Claim 2: “The Bavarian SME OxFA, currently the only company producing formic acid from biomass”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant search results about pencils (Lápiz Escolar Mirado). No evidence was found to confirm or deny OxFA's status as the only company producing formic acid from biomass.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago · Eleva tu experiencia de escritura con los Lápiz Escolar Mirado Hexagonal #2 12 Pz que tenemos en Lumen, una elección insuperable para tus necesidades de escritura y dibujo. Hechos con mad…
https://lumen.com.mx/lapices-mirado-hexagonales-no-2-blister…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Compre Lapiz Mirado 2 en cuotas sin interés! Conozca nuestras increíbles ofertas y promociones en millones de productos.
https://listado.mercadolibre.com.mx/lapiz-mirado-2

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Mirado Lápiz con Goma Hexagonal No. 2.5 Caja con 12 Piezas Mirado 1931779
https://www.tony.com.mx/mirado

info

Claim 3: “LIKAT has developed a catalyst that enables the extraction of hydrogen—a key energy carrier—from biomass-based formic acid at relatively mild temperatures.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim is explicitly stated in the source 'How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in...'. Other results mention LIKAT's work with methanol or general catalysis, but do not corroborate the specific catalyst for biomass-based formic acid.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Frank Günther Neese is a German theoretical chemist at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research. He is the author of more than 440 scientific articles in journals of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Phys…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Neese

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Leibniz Association (German: Leibniz-Gemeinschaft or Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz) is a union of German non-university research institutes from various disciplines.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leibniz_Association

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (German: Förderpreis für deutsche Wissenschaftler im Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Programm der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft), or Leibniz Prize, is awarded by the G…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leibniz_Prize

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 4: “formic acid can be converted to hydrogen in a concentration range of 5% to 99% under mild conditions with nearly 100% atomic efficiency”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence discusses the dehydration of formic acid and its effects on brain tissue or Pd catalysts, but none of the sources confirm the specific concentration range (5% to 99%) or the 'nearly 100% atomic efficiency' claim.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ender's Game series (often referred to as the Ender saga and also the Enderverse) is a series of science fiction books written by American author Orson Scott Card. The series started with the nove…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender's_Game_(novel_series)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Formic is an adjective describing ants, from the Latin formica. Formic may also refer to: Formic acid, a chemical compound secreted by ants for defense The Formics, or Buggers, an alien species in th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Formic acid (from Latin formica 'ant'), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure H−C(=O)−O−H. This acid is an important in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic_acid

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 5: “Of particular relevance is the high activity of the new system at 65°C (149°F)—and thus within the range of low-temperature fuel cells, which operate below 100°C (212°F).”

SINGLE SOURCE

The fact that low-temperature fuel cells operate below 100°C is corroborated by a StudyX result. However, the specific activity of the LIKAT system at 65°C is not corroborated by any other source in the provided evidence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gotfried Coenraad Ernst "Frits" van Daalen (23 March 1863 – 22 February 1930) was a Dutch military officer of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army who served as the Governor of Aceh from 1905 until 1908. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotfried_Coenraad_Ernst_van_Da…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bambel is a district in Southeast Aceh Regency, Aceh, Indonesia. In 2023, this district had a population of 20,982 people with an area of 23.30 km2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bambel

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gayo people (Gayo: Urang Gayo; Indonesian: Orang Gayo) are an Austronesian ethnic group living in the highlands (primarily Gayo Lues) of the province of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. The Gayo people h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayo_people

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 6: “According to a study by the German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ), a technical biomass potential of approximately 31 million metric tons (34 million tons) of dry matter per year remains untapped in Germany alone.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms the existence of the DBFZ Resource Database and their monitoring of biomass potentials in Germany, the specific figure of 31 to 34 million metric tons of untapped dry matter is not present in the provided snippets.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Electrofuels, also known as e-fuels, are a class of synthetic fuels which function as drop-in replacement fuels for internal combustion engines. They are manufactured using captured carbon dioxide or …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrofuel

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Energy in Germany is derived primarily from fossil fuels. In 2025, petroleum accounted for 36.0% of primary energy consumption, natural gas for 26.6%, renewable energy for 20.8%, while lignite and har…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Germany

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Martin Kaltschmitt (engl.: 'Martin Coldsmith', born 18 April 1961) is a German engineer and professor at Hamburg University of Technology. He is head of the Institute of Environmental technology and E…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Kaltschmitt

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 7: “At OxFA's pilot plant in Bavaria, the process was tested on a pilot scale under the direction of Dr.-Ing. Florian Kohler and achieved a stable run time of more than 820 hours, with a total production of approximately 30 cubic meters of hydrogen in continuous operation.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific details regarding the 820-hour run time, 30 cubic meters of hydrogen, and Dr.-Ing. Florian Kohler are found only in the source 'How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in...'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — At OxFA's pilot plant in Bavaria, the process was tested on a pilot scale under the direction of Dr.-Ing. Florian Kohler and achieved a stable run time of more than 820 hours, with a total production …
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-hydrogen-bio-based-formic-acid…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Build This F2P Team — CookieRun: Crumble PvE GuideF2P Sol13K views • 10 days agoLivePlaylist ()Mix (50+). 3:16. Dominion Of The Beasts (Part 2) - Eternal Sugar Cookie's Full Story | Cookie Run: Kingdo…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jxzxw8H02A

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web search NEUTRAL — The OxFA process, or Oxidative Formic Acid process, is a selective catalytic oxidation method that converts wet biomass into formic acid using molecular oxygen as the oxidant.
https://grokipedia.com/page/oxfa_process

info

Claim 8: “annual production of around 1 million metric tons (1.1 million tons), formic acid is one of the most important basic chemicals”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific production figure of 1 to 1.1 million metric tons is found in one web search result ('How hydrogen can be produced from bio-based formic acid in...'). While Wikipedia confirms formic acid is a basic chemical, it does not provide the specific annual production volume.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Formic acid (from Latin formica 'ant'), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic_acid

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — With annual production of around 1 million metric tons (1.1 million tons), formic acid is one of the most important basic chemicals and is used, among other things, as an additive in the animal feed i…
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-hydrogen-bio-based-formic-acid…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Formic acid was first identified in 1670 by the English naturalist John Ray, who isolated the substance through the distillation of large quantities of red ants (Formica rufa), naming it the "acid of …
https://grokipedia.com/page/Formic_acid

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.