Steam reforming of ethanol over carburized alkali-doped nickel on zirconia and various supports for hydrogen production

The steam reforming of ethanol over carburized alkali-, La- and Ce-doped nickels on zirconia and various supports was studied to determine the support effects, alkali addition and carburization. The 823 K-carburized Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/V2O5 catalysts exhibited higher activities than the Ni catalysts supported on CeO2, Al2O3, SiO2–Al2O3 and MgO and a reduced catalyst. The cesium-doped Ni/ZrO2 promoted more hydrogen formation than the Li-, K-, La- and Ce-doped catalysts. From the XRD measurement, crystals of ZrO2, Ni carbide and Ni metal were formed during the carburization of the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst at 823 K. No Ni carbide was observed on the MgO, CeO2 Al2O3, and V2O5 carburized catalysts. The Cs0.2Ni/ZrO2 and Cs0.5Ni0.5/Zr exhibited no carbon deposition at 7 h. The carburized and cesium-doped Ni/ZrO2 was more effective in decreasing the carbon deposition. From the IR study, the formed carbonated species were attributed to the formation of CO3− from the formed CO2 (CO2 + O2− → CO3−). In the pulse experiment of H218O, Cs0.2Ni/ZrO2 helped to facilitate the dissociation of H2O to 2H and O and the decomposition of CH3CHO to hydrogen and CO2 through the CH3CO species. The TPD after ethanol adsorption on Ni/ZrO2 with and without Cs-doping showed that the Cs-doped Ni/ZrO2 catalyst promoted the C–H breaking through the CH3CO species more than the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst.

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► The steam reforming of ethanol over carburized nickel on zirconia was studied.
► Various supports and alkali-, La- and Ce promoters were also studied.
► The catalysts were characterized by XRD, TPC, TPR and TPD.
► The cesium-doped Ni/ZrO2 promoted more hydrogen formation than the other catalysts.
► The catalyst dissociated H2O and controlled the carbon deposition.