Steam Reforming of methanol Over Cu/Al2O3/ZnO Catalysts

  • Somchai Akaratiwa Department of Chemical Engineering, Mahanakom University of Technology
  • Tammanoon Odomman Department of Chemical Engineering, Manahakom University of Technology

Abstract

In this research, steam reforming of methanol over Cu/Al2O3/ZnO catalysts was investigated. The catalysts were prepared by conventional co-precipitation and  sequential precipitation methods. Especially, the sequential precipitation method were performed by varying the sequence of additions of copper, aluminum, and zinc nitrate solutions. The experimental results showed clearly that the preparation methods affected the performance of catalysts. The Cu/AI2O3/ZnO catalysts  prepared by consecutively adding copper, aluminum, and zinc nitrate solutions
exhibited better performance. The effect of Al2O3/ZnO molar ratios on the activity of catalysts was also studied. It was found that the catalysts with 50:5:45 of Cu/AI2O3/ZnO molar ratio showed higher activity than others. In order to improve catalytic activity, Mn- or Cr-promoted over Cu/Alp.jZnO was also investigated. It was interesting to observe that either the Mn- or the Cr-promoted Cu/AI2O3/ZnO catalysts have higher activity than nonpromoted ones, indicating that Mn and Cr promoters give some synergistic effect.

References

Akaratiwa, S., Udomman, T., Ponbubpha, J., and Naovaratjirawat, S., "Study of Steam reforming of methanol over Cu/ZnO catalysts," Proceeding of Regional Symposium of Chemical Engineering, Singapore, Dec. 2000, p.RE. 5/6.

Jiang, C.J., Trimm, D.L., and Wainwright, M.S., "Kinetic study of steam reforming of methanol over copper-based catalysts," Appl. Catal. A. General, 93 (1993) p. 245/255.

Shen, G.C., Fujita, S.I., Matsumoto, S., and Takesawa, N., "Steam reforming of methanol on binary Cu/ZnO catalysts: Effects of preparation condition upon precursors, surface structure and catalytic activity," J. Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 124 (1997) p. 123/136.

Idem, R.O. and Bakhshi, N.N., "Production of hydrogen from methanol over promoted co-precipitated Cu-Al catalysts: The effects of various promoters and catalyst activation methods," Ind. Eng. Chem., 34, No. 5 (1995) p. 1548/1557.

Cheng, W.H., Shlau, C.Y., Liu, T.H., Tung, H.L., Lu, J.F., and Hau, C.C., " Promotion of Cu/Cr/Mn catalyst by alkali additives in methanol decomposition," Appl. Catal. A. General, 170 (1998) p.215/224.

Akaratiwa, S. and Udomman, T., "Effect of addition of various metals into Cu/ZnO catalyst on the hydrogen production from methanol steam reforming," Research and Development Journal of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, 12 No 2 (2001) p. 1/6.

Breen, J.P. and Ross , J.R.H., " Methanol reforming for fuel-cell applications: Development of zirconia-containing Cu-Zn-Al catalysts," Catalysis Today, 51 (1991) p. 521/533.

Published
2003-12-31
How to Cite
Akaratiwa, S., & Tammanoon Odomman. (2003). Steam Reforming of methanol Over Cu/Al2O3/ZnO Catalysts. ASEAN Journal of Chemical Engineering, 3(1), 9-13. Retrieved from https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/v3/AJChE/article/view/7572
Section
Articles