Ethanol steam reforming over cobalt talc in a plate microreactor

Stainless steel plates were coated with cobalt talc (Co3[Si2O5]2(OH)2) and used in a catalytic plate microreactor for producing hydrogen from ethanol steam reforming at low temperature. Cobalt talc was deposited successfully by one-step hydrothermal synthesis from Co(NO3)2·6H2O and Na2SiO3 at 463 K for 60 h and characterized by scanning electron and confocal microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and mechanical stability tests. Catalytic plates did not require any activation treatment and showed fast start-up. At 648 K and W/FEtOH = 0.5 g min mol−1 complete ethanol conversion was attained and the yield to the reforming products, H2 and CO2, was 97 and 90%, respectively, whereas CO was detected at a trace level (<0.1%).