H2 production from oxidative steam reforming of 1-propanol and propylene glycol over yttria-stabilized supported bimetallic Ni–M (M = Pt, Ru, Ir) catalysts

• Hydrogen from catalytic oxidative steam reforming of 1-propanol and propylene glycol.
• YSZ-supported Ni-based catalysts for OSR of 1-propanol and propylene glycol.
• Stabilization of Ni-based catalysts under oxidative steam reforming of C3 alcohols.
• Noble metal into Ni/YSZ catalysts improves oxidative steam reforming of C3 alcohols.
• Bimetallic Ni-based catalysts for OSR of 1-propanol and propylene glycol.

This paper reports hydrogen production from oxidative steam reforming of 1-propanol and propylene glycol over Ni–M/Y2O3–ZrO2 (10% wt/wt Y2O3; M = Ir, Pt, Ru) bimetallic catalysts promoted with K. The results are compared with those obtained over the corresponding monometallic catalyst. The catalytic performance of the calcined catalysts was analyzed in the temperature range 723–773 K, adjusting the total composition of the reactants to O/C = 4 and S/C = 3.2–3.1 (molar ratios). The bimetallic catalysts showed higher hydrogen selectivity and lower selectivity of byproducts than the monometallic catalyst, especially at 723 K. Ni–Ir performed best in the oxidative steam reforming of both 1-propanol and propylene glycol. The presence of the noble metal favours the reduction of the NiO and the partial reduction of the support. The NiO crystalline phase present in the calcined catalysts was transformed to Ni° during oxidative steam reforming. The adsorption and subsequent reactivity of both 1-propanol and propylene glycol over Ni–Ir and Ni catalysts were followed by FTIR; C–C bond cleavage was found to occur at a lower temperature in propylene glycol than in 1-propanol.