Preparation and optimization of eggshell-type Cu/Zn/Al2O3 pellet catalysts for methanol reforming

Abstract

The pellet-type catalyst demonstrates a usable region for the chemical reaction based on the reaction rate and reactant diffusivity. Therefore, achieving selective metal infiltration on the outer region of the support enhances the catalyst's efficiency. To address this issue, we prepared the eggshell-type Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts using the repulsion between a hydrophobic solution and a hydrophilic solution. For the methanol steam reforming reaction, the eggshell-type catalysts outperformed the homogeneously metal distributed catalysts. By analyzing the elemental distribution at both the pellet-scale and nanoscale of the catalyst, we revealed that the improved performance of the eggshell-type catalyst resulted from the selective distribution of copper particles on the outer region of the catalysts.