Interplay of Support Chemistry and Reaction Conditions on Copper Catalyzed Methanol Steam Reforming

Manuel Antonio Díaz-Pérez; Javier Moya; Juan Carlos Serrano-Ruiz; Jimmy Faria

doi:10.1021/acs.iecr.8b02488

Interplay of Support Chemistry and Reaction Conditions on Copper Catalyzed Methanol Steam Reforming

Ind Eng Chem Res. 2018 Nov 14;57(45):15268-15279. doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.8b02488. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Authors

Manuel Antonio Díaz-Pérez¹, Javier Moya¹, Juan Carlos Serrano-Ruiz^{1

2}, Jimmy Faria^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Abengoa Research, C/Energía Solar 1, Campus Palmas Altas, Sevilla, 41014, Spain.
² Universidad de Loyola, Andalucía, Department of Engineering, C/Energía Solar 1, Campus Palmas Altas, Sevilla, 41014, Spain.
³ Chemical Processes and Materials, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.

Abstract

A series of Cu catalysts supported on SiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂, TiO₂ rutile, and Cu/TiO₂ anatase metal oxides has been studied for methanol reforming in the vapor phase. The highest activity was obtained on Cu/SiO₂ catalysts (5493 μmol H₂ min^-1·g_cat ^-1) followed by Cu/TiO₂ rutile, Cu/Al₂O₃-SiO₂, and anatase. XRD and HRTEM characterization after reaction revealed that on Cu/SiO₂ significant sintering occurred during reaction. In contrast, the particle size growth on Cu/TiO₂ rutile and anatase was less pronounced, which could be associated with the interaction between Cu clusters and TiO₂. Characterization by TGA showed that on Cu/Al₂O₃-SiO₂ the main cause of deactivation was coke deposition.