Methanol reforming for fuel-cell applications: development of zirconia-containing Cu-Zn-Al catalysts

The steam reforming of methanol to form mixtures of carbon dioxide and hydr ogen, together with traces of carbon monoxide, is considered to be a potent ial source of hydrogen as the fuel for a fuel-cell to be used in mobile pow er sources. After outlining some of the constraints inherent in the use of the reaction and the types of catalysts which have been used by other inves tigators, this paper presents results on the preparation and testing of a s eries of copper-containing catalysts for this reaction. It is shown that th e reaction sequence probably involves the formation of methyl formate which then decomposes to give CO2 as the primary product; CO is formed by the re verse water-gas shift reaction and this only occurs to an appreciable exten t when the methanol is almost completely converted. A number of different c opper-containing catalysts are then described and it is shown that of these sequentially precipitated Cu/ZnO/ZrO2/Al2O3 materials have the highest act ivities and stabilities for the steam reforming reaction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.