Catalysis Letters, Vol.108, No.1-2, 15-19, 2006
Low temperature and H-2 selective catalysts for ethanol steam reforming
Supported Rh catalysts have been developed for selective H-2 production at low temperatures. Ethanol dehydration is favorable over either acidic or basic supports such as gamma-Al2O3 and MgAl2O4, while ethanol dehydrogenation is more favorable over neutral supports. CeO2-ZrO2-supported Rh catalysts were found to be especially effective for hydrogen production. We focused on a support prepared by a co-precipitation method having composition Ce0.8Zr0.2O2. A 2%Rh/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 catalyst, prepared via impregnation without pre-calcination of support, exhibited the highest H-2 yield at 450 degrees C among various supported Rh catalysts evaluated in this study. This may be due to both the strong interaction between Rh and Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 and the high oxygen transfer rate favoring reforming of acetaldehyde instead of methane production.