Steam reforming of methane over highly active and KOH-resistant Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for direct internal reforming (DIR) in a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC)

For direct internal reforming (DIR) in molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), steam reforming of methane has been carried out over Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method. During the synthesis of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, various synthesis parameters have been systematically manipulated to develop a highly active and KOH-resistant catalyst for DIR in MCFCs. Compared with a commercial catalyst, 52% Ni/γ-Al2O3 prepared with a precursor concentration of 0.18 M and a urea concentration of 6 M exhibited very high activity with strong resistance against KOH due to the selective adsorption of KOH on the γ-Al2O3 support.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (61 K)Download as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights▶ 52% Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst exhibited higher KOH resistance than the commercial catalyst. ▶ This is due to selective adsorption of KOH on strong acid sites of a γ-Al2O3 support. ▶ The urea concentration is a key parameter to prepare highly KOH-resistant catalyst.