Reforming of methanol to produce hydrogen over the Au/ZnO catalyst

Gold particle with an average size of d(Au) similar to 4 nm was dispersed on ZnO by the deposition precipitation method. The fabricated Au/ZnO catalyst was used to produce hydrogen from reforming of methanol. Four reforming reactions, i.e., decomposition of methanol (DM), steam reforming of methanol (SRM), partial oxidation of methanol (POM) and oxidative steam reforming of methanol (OSRM), were evaluated in a fixed bed reactor. A reaction temperature of T-R > 623 K was required for catalyzing reactions of DM and SRM. Interestingly, high methanol conversion (C-MeOH > 90%) was found from reforming reactions of POM and OSRM at an amazing low temperature of T-R < 473 K. Besides, a presentable hydrogen yield (R-H2 similar to 2.4) and a low selectivity of CO (S-CO similar to 1%) were simultaneously attained from the reaction of OSRM. Therefore, the low temperature OSRM reaction over the Au/ZnO catalyst is suggested as a friendly reforming process for on-board production of hydrogen. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Gold particles with an average size of around 4 nm were dispersed on ZnO using the deposition precipitation method to fabricate the Au/ZnO catalyst for hydrogen production from methanol reforming. The study evaluated four reforming reactions and found that high methanol conversion and hydrogen yield could be achieved at low temperatures from partial oxidation and oxidative steam reforming reactions.