An indium tin oxide/alumina (ITO/Al2O3) nanoparticle catalyst was used for the selective oxidation of methanol to form hydrogen and carbon dioxide. At 68% methanol conversion, the hydrogen selectivity was 73%, and carbon monoxide was only 1-2% of the products. Four reactors were used, and the highest hydrogen selectivity was obtained in a tank reactor that contained a thin catalyst film. A packed bed reactor did not effectively remove the heat of reaction, but coating the catalyst as a thin film gave better control. The product selectivity dependence on temperature and the methanol/oxygen feed ratio was measured. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.