Effects of Support Structure and Composition on the Activity of Cu–Ni Catalysts for Methanol Steam Reforming

Abstract

We have studied the catalytic activity of Cu–Ni bimetallic catalysts on yttrium-, tin-, zinc-, and niobium-doped zirconia and ceria supports for methanol steam reforming (MSR), a process for hydrogen production, and examined the effect of the nature of the dopants and annealing temperature on the structure and particle size of the oxide supports and the catalytic activity of the metal oxide composites. In all cases, the addition of heterovalent ions improved the catalytic activity of the materials for the MSR process in comparison with undoped zirconia. The highest hydrogen yield was reached in the case of catalysts doped with niobium and yttrium oxides.