ZrO2-promoted Cu-ZnO catalysts were prepared through the sol-gel, conventional impregnation and modified impregnation methods using MCM-41 as support material and applied to the methanol steam reforming (MSR) reaction. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by the XRD, BET, FESEM, TEM, XRF, FTIR, H-2-TPR and TGA methods. The determined physiochemical properties suggested that pretreatment of MCM-41 with acetic acid before metal impregnation remarkably decreases the size of the metal particles and improves their dispersion and reduction behavior. Among the synthesized catalysts, the Cu-Zn-OZrO2/JMCM-41 sample prepared through the modified impregnation method exhibited the best catalytic performance with 97.8% methanol conversion, 99.0% H-2 selectivity, 0.4% CO selectivity and the lowest level of coke deposition, at 300 degrees C. In addition, all catalysts resisted against deactivation by conserving their catalytic activity over 40 h operation, indicating that the use of high surface area MCM-41 as support, the ZrO2 promoter, and the proper synthesis methods significantly enhanced the catalytic activity in the MSR process. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.