Hydrogen generation using a CuO/ZnO-ZrO₂ nanocatalyst for autothermal reforming of methanol in a microchannel reactor

Molecules. 2011 Jan 7;16(1):348-66. doi: 10.3390/molecules16010348.

Abstract

In the present work, a microchannel reactor for autothermal reforming of methanol using a synthesized catalyst porous alumina support-CuO/ZnO mixed with ZrO₂ sol washcoat has been developed and its fine structure and inner surface characterized. Experimentally, CuO/ZnO and alumina support with ZrO₂ sol washcoat catalyst (catalyst slurries) nanoparticles is the catalytically active component of the microreactor. Catalyst slurries have been dried at 298 K for 5 h and then calcined at 623 K for 2 h to increase the surface area and specific pore structures of the washcoat catalyst. The surface area of BET N₂ adsorption isotherms for the as-synthesized catalyst and catalyst/ZrO₂ sol washcoat samples are 62 and 108 ± 2 m²g⁻¹, respectively. The intensities of Cu content from XRD and XPS data indicate that Al₂O₃ with Cu species to form CuAl₂O₄. The EXAFS data reveals that the Cu species in washcoat samples have Cu-O bonding with a bond distance of 1.88 ± 0.02 Å and the coordination number is 3.46 ± 0.05, respectively. Moreover, a hydrogen production rate of 2.16 L h⁻¹ is obtained and the corresponding methanol conversion is 98% at 543 K using the CuO/ZnO with ZrO₂ sol washcoat catalyst.

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Catalysis
  • Copper / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen / chemistry*
  • Methanol / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Nanotechnology
  • Thermodynamics
  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Zinc Oxide / chemistry*
  • Zirconium / chemistry*

Substances

  • Copper
  • Hydrogen
  • Zirconium
  • zirconium oxide
  • Zinc Oxide
  • Methanol