Copper Tricomponent Catalysts Application for Hydrogen Production from Ethanol

• Main Authors: Łukasz Hamryszak, Maria Kulawska, Maria Madej-Lachowska, Michał Śliwa, Katarzyna Samson, Małgorzata Ruggiero-Mikołajczyk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Catalysts
• Subjects: copper–zirconium catalysts; ethanol steam reforming; hydrogen fuel cells; hydrogen production; non-noble metal catalysts
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/5/575

The application of copper-based catalysts in the production of pure hydrogen in the steam reforming of ethanol was performed. The tricomponent Cu/Zr catalysts with about 4 mass% addition of nickel, cobalt, or cerium have been prepared in our laboratory. The properties of obtained catalysts were compared with bimetallic Cu/Zr catalyst prepared and tested according to the same procedure. Catalytic tests were carried out in the continuous flow fixed–bed reactor in the wide temperature range of 433–593 K for initial molar ratio of ethanol to water equal to 1:3. Catalysts were characterized by XRD, TPR, CO₂–TPD, and TPO methods. Cu/Zr/Ce catalyst proved to be the best; hydrogen yield reached the value of 400 L/(kg_cat.∙h), selectivity towards carbon monoxide was below 0.5% and the one towards methane wasnot detected. Additions of Ni or Co did not bring significant improvement in activity.