Abstract
CeO2-, ZrO2-, and La2O3-supported Rh-Pt catalysts were tested to assess their ability to catalyze the steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) for H2 production. SRE activity tests were performed using EtOH:H2O:N2 (molar ratio 1:3:51) at a gaseous space velocity of 70,600 h−1 between 400 and 700 °C at atmospheric pressure. The SRE stability of the catalysts was tested at 700 °C for 27 h time on stream under the same conditions. RhPt/CeO2, which showed the best performance in the stability test, also produced the highest H2 yield above 600 °C, followed by RhPt/La2O3 and RhPt/ZrO2. The fresh and aged catalysts were characterized by TEM, XPS, and TGA. The higher H2 selectivity of RhPt/CeO2 was ascribed to the formation of small (~5 nm) and stable particles probably consistent of Rh-Pt alloys with a Pt surface enrichment. Both metals were oxidized and acted as an almost constant active phase during the stability test owing to strong metal-support interactions, as well as the superior oxygen mobility of the support. The TGA results confirmed the absence of carbonaceous residues in all the aged catalysts.
Highlights
The growing awareness of environmental and energy issues has led to a search for alternative energy sources
This study aimed to identify an active and stable catalyst that enables the use of the steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) for hydrogen production, for its further use in raw bioethanol samples
Despite higher water contents increase the thermodynamic favorability to hydrogen production [30], the dilution effects by the water excess can increase the energy consumption [38], which is undesirable to larger scale operations
Summary
The growing awareness of environmental and energy issues has led to a search for alternative energy sources. Hydrogen, which produces electricity and heat with a high efficiency in fuel cells, is a clean energy source with a higher energy density (141.6 kJ/g) than hydrocarbon fuels [1]. Bioethanol, produced from biomass resources, is an environmentally-sustainable feedstock and, an excellent candidate for industrial-scale hydrogen production through the steam reforming process [2]. Many countries have invested in bioethanol production. Colombia (South America) has made large investments in bioethanol production via sugar cane fermentation. The bioethanol produced in this way (50 vol % ethanol after flash separation) could be transformed into H2 by steam reforming for subsequent use in fuel cells
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