Hydrogen production from steam reforming of bioethanol using Cu/Ni/K/gamma-Al2O3 catalysts. Effect of Ni

Hydrogen to be used as a raw material in fuel cells or even as a direct fue l can be obtained from steam reforming of bioethanol. The key aim of this p rocess is to maximize hydrogen production, discouraging at the same lime th ose reactions leading to undesirable products, such as methane, acetaldehyd e, diethyl ether or acetic acid, that compete with H-2 for the hydrogen ato ms. Cu-Ni-K/gamma -Al2O3 catalysts are suitable for this reaction since the y are able to produce acceptable amounts of hydrogen working at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 300 degreesC. The effect of nickel content i n the catalyst on the steam-reforming reaction was analyzed. Nickel additio n enhances ethanol gasification, increasing the gas yield and reducing acet aldehyde and acetic acid production. (C) 2001 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.