Bimetallic catalysts performance during ethanol steam reforming: Influence of support materials

Ni–Cu catalysts supported on different materials were tested in ethanol steam reforming reaction for hydrogen production. These catalysts were evaluated at reaction temperature of 400 °C under atmospheric pressure. The reagents, with a water/ethanol molar ratio equal to 10, were fed at 70 dm3/(h gcat) (after vaporization). Analysis of the ethanol conversion, as well as evaluation and quantification of the reaction products, indicated the catalyst 10% Ni–1% Cu/Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 as the most appropriate for the ethanol steam reforming under investigated reaction conditions, among the studied catalysts. During 8 h of reaction this catalyst presented an average ethanol conversion of 43%, producing a high amount of H2 by steam reforming and by ethanol decomposition and dehydrogenation parallel reactions. Steam reforming, among the observed reactions, was quantified by the presence of carbon dioxide. About 60% of the hydrogen was produced from ethanol steam reforming and 40% from parallel reactions.