Active carbon-supported Ni, Ni/Cu and Ni/Cu/Pd catalysed steam reforming of ethanol for the production of hydrogen

This work aims at producing hydrogen from ethanol using active carbon-supported nickel based catalysts. Steam reforming of ethanol is carried out in a tubular reactor at a temperature range of 150–700 °C using nickel, nickel/copper and nickel/copper/palladium catalysts supported with active carbon. The selectivity values towards hydrogen obtained from the reactions using the different catalysts are compared. The results show that the selectivity of all the catalysts studied towards hydrogen increases with increase in temperature up to the temperature of 450 °C and the active carbon-supported Ni/Cu/Pd catalyst gives the highest selectivity towards hydrogen. Beyond this temperature, the selectivity values of the catalyst containing palladium continue to decrease. It is concluded that the highest selectivity of hydrogen is given by the catalyst containing palladium at the temperature of 450 °C.

► Ni, Ni/Cu, Ni/Cu/Pd supported with active carbon as catalysts precursors ► Catalysts for steam reforming of ethanol ► The selectivity values using the different catalysts are compared ► Selectivity studied towards H2 increases with increase in temperature up to 450 °C ► The highest selectivity of hydrogen is given by the catalyst containing Pd at 450 °C.