Production of hydrogen from steam reforming of methanol carried out by self-combusted CuCr1-xFexO2 (x = 0–1) nanopowders catalyst

Abstract

In this present work, the delafossite type CuCr1-xFexO2 (x = 0–1) nanopowder was prepared by a self-combusted glycine nitrate process used for the steam reforming of methanol (SRM). The effectiveness of hydrogen production was upgraded by the preparation of CuCr1-xFexO2 (x = 0–1). The prepared Cu based materials were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope studies, X-ray diffraction studies, energy dispersive X-ray studies, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller studies. The CuCr1-xFexO2 (x = 0–1) nanopowders were studies by the hydrogen production by methanol steam reforming reaction. The Cu based catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity and hydrogen production rate as 1740 ml/min g-cat at 360 °C. Furthermore, the catalyst nanopowder was stable up to 1200 min without any considerable changes in steam reforming methanol and product selectivity in the SRM process. The production rate of CuCr1-xFexO2 was improved by the adequate amount of iron incorporation (60%) and adjusted the feeding rate of methanol. These conditions obtain the best performance could reach the hydrogen production of 301.45 (μmol (min g-cat)−1) at 350° over CuCr0.4Fe0.6O2 with a flow rate of 60 sccm.