SAN ANTONIO – Huntsman Corp. has started construction on a pilot plant outside of San Antonio that will produce 30 tons of carbon nanotube materials annually, along with a relatively new type of hydrogen.
The plant will use methane to produce “turquoise” hydrogen that is made through the process of pyrolysis.
The plant will be one of the largest of its kind in the Americas and will reduce the carbon dioxide footprint of clean hydrogen by more than 90 percent compared with traditional steam methane reforming processes. An additional benefit of turquoise hydrogen is that there is no carbon dioxide produced.
The solid carbon products produced at the facility will be nanotube-based advanced materials, which can be used in a variety of industries. Huntsman is especially focusing on its potential application in lithium-ion batteries.
The construction of the San Antonio-area plant is a step forward in Huntsman’s attempts to commercialize its technology and to create an industrial-scale production facility.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.