Hydrogen production by auto-thermal reforming of ethanol over Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts: Effect of second metal addition

Abstract Ni/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts containing a second metal (Ce, Co, Cu, Mg and Zn) are prepared by a co-impregnation method to investigate the effect of second metal addition on the catalytic performance in the auto-thermal reforming of ethanol. Among the second metals tested, Cu is found to be the most efficient promoter for the production of hydrogen. It is revealed that Cu species are active in the water-gas shift reaction to produce hydrogen from CO and H 2 O, and furthermore, Cu species serve as a barrier for preventing the growth of Ni particles. In particular, the addition of Cu decreases the interaction between Ni-species and γ-Al 2 O 3 , leading to the facile reduction of Ni-Cu/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. Among Ni-Cu/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different Cu content, a 5 wt.% Cu-containing Ni-Cu/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst, which retains an intermediate state of Cu species between copper aluminate and copper oxide, shows the best catalytic performance in terms of hydrogen production and CO composition in the outlet stream. By contrast, a 7 wt.% Cu-containing Ni-Cu/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst exhibits rather a low catalytic performance in the production of hydrogen because of the suppressed gasification activity over large Cu particles in the catalyst.

[1]  M. Jobbágy,et al.  Cu-Ni-K/γ-Al2O3 supported catalysts for ethanol steam reforming: Formation of hydrotalcite-type compounds as a result of metal–support interaction , 2003 .

[2]  F. Frusteri,et al.  Steam reforming of ethanol on Ni/MgO catalysts: H2 production for MCFC , 2002 .

[3]  J. Yi,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous alumina with nickel incorporated for use in the partial oxidation of methane into synthesis gas , 2004 .

[4]  J. Llorca,et al.  In situ DRIFT-mass spectrometry study of the ethanol steam-reforming reaction over carbonyl-derived Co/ZnO catalysts , 2004 .

[5]  E. Assaf,et al.  High efficiency steam reforming of ethanol by cobalt-based catalysts , 2004 .

[6]  Claude Mirodatos,et al.  Ethanol oxidative steam reforming over Ni-based catalysts , 2005 .

[7]  Daniel Duprez,et al.  Bio-ethanol catalytic steam reforming over supported metal catalysts , 2002 .

[8]  Stefano Cavallaro,et al.  Ethanol auto-thermal reforming on rhodium catalysts and initial steps simulation on single crystals under UHV conditions , 2005 .

[9]  Y. Matsumura,et al.  Catalytic steam reforming of ethanol to produce hydrogen and acetone , 2005 .

[10]  B. Ahn,et al.  Partial oxidation (POX) reforming of gasoline for fuel-cell powered vehicles applications , 2002 .

[11]  Xenophon E. Verykios,et al.  Reaction network of steam reforming of ethanol over Ni-based catalysts , 2004 .

[12]  Andrew Narvaez,et al.  Biomass gasification with air in an atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed. Effect of six operational variables on the quality of the produced raw gas , 1996 .

[13]  G. Bonura,et al.  H2 production for MC fuel cell by steam reforming of ethanol over MgO supported Pd, Rh, Ni and Co catalysts , 2004 .

[14]  F. Frusteri,et al.  Performance of Rh/Al2O3 catalyst in the steam reforming of ethanol: H2 production for MCFC , 2003 .

[15]  Miguel Laborde,et al.  Hydrogen from steam reforming of ethanol. characterization and performance of copper-nickel supported catalysts , 1998 .

[16]  Kunio Suzuki,et al.  Oxidative Reforming of Bio-Ethanol Over CuNiZnAl Mixed Oxide Catalysts for Hydrogen Production , 2002 .

[17]  Yan Liu,et al.  Study of bimetallic Cu–Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for carbon dioxide hydrogenation , 1999 .

[18]  Li Haibin,et al.  The fast pyrolysis of biomass in CFB reactor , 2000 .

[19]  Ki June Yoon,et al.  Temperature profiles of the monolith catalyst in CO2 reforming of methane within-situ combustion of methane and ethane , 2004 .

[20]  S. Hashimoto,et al.  The effect of cobalt on the structural properties and reducibility of CuCoZnAl layered double hydroxides and their thermally derived mixed oxides , 2001 .

[21]  D. Duprez,et al.  Ethanol steam reforming over MgxNi1−xAl2O3 spinel oxide-supported Rh catalysts , 2005 .

[22]  Mohammad Asadullah,et al.  A novel catalytic process for cellulose gasification to synthesis gas , 2001 .

[23]  Rufino M. Navarro,et al.  Production of hydrogen by oxidative reforming of ethanol over Pt catalysts supported on Al2O3 modified with Ce and La , 2005 .

[24]  M. Engelhard,et al.  Effects of nanocrystalline CeO2 supports on the properties and performance of Ni–Rh bimetallic catalyst for oxidative steam reforming of ethanol , 2006 .

[25]  J. Yi,et al.  Preparation, characterization, and catalytic activity of NiMg catalysts supported on mesoporous alumina for hydrodechlorination of o-dichlorobenzene , 2005 .

[26]  Stefano Cavallaro,et al.  Hydrogen production by auto-thermal reforming of ethanol on Rh/Al2O3 catalyst , 2003 .

[27]  C. Di Blasi,et al.  Countercurrent fixed-bed gasification of biomass at laboratory scale , 1999 .

[28]  A. Dalai,et al.  Synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of Ni/Al2O3 catalysts for reforming of crude ethanol for hydrogen production , 2005 .

[29]  O. Joo,et al.  Stabilization of Ni/Al2O3 catalyst by Cu addition for CO2 reforming of methane , 2004 .

[30]  Krister Sjöström,et al.  Biomass gasification in a laboratory-scale AFBG: influence of the location of the feeding point on the fuel-N conversion , 2000 .