The performance of Ni-based catalysts synthesized by the combustion method, using different fuel-to-oxidizers ratios (phi), for ethanol conversion reactions was investigated. All catalysts were selective to hydrogen for steam reforming (SR) of ethanol. Regardless of the phi value, all catalysts deactivated during SR of ethanol at 773 K. Scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses showed that the loss of activity was due to carbon deposition. However, decreasing phi reduced the amount of carbon formed. This was related to the smaller crystallite size of metallic Ni obtained for the sample with lower phi, as revealed by X-ray diffraction experiments. On the other hand, the catalysts were very stable at high reaction temperature (1073 K). The occurrence of the reverse of Boudouard reaction and the carbon gasification reaction inhibited carbon deposition. Furthermore, the presence of water or oxygen in the feed promoted the mechanism of carbon removal and catalyst stability. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.