title: Hydrogen generation using a CuO/ZnO-ZrO₂ nanocatalyst for autothermal reforming of methanol in a microchannel reactor.
abstract: In the present work, a microchannel reactor for autothermal reforming of methanol using a synthesized catalyst porous alumina support-CuO/ZnO mixed with ZrO₂ sol washcoat has been developed and its fine structure and inner surface characterized. Experimentally, CuO/ZnO and alumina support with ZrO₂ sol washcoat catalyst (catalyst slurries) nanoparticles is the catalytically active component of the microreactor. Catalyst slurries have been dried at 298 K for 5 h and then calcined at 623 K for 2 h to increase the surface area and specific pore structures of the washcoat catalyst. The surface area of BET N₂ adsorption isotherms for the as-synthesized catalyst and catalyst/ZrO₂ sol washcoat samples are 62 and 108 ± 2 m²g⁻¹, respectively. The intensities of Cu content from XRD and XPS data indicate that Al₂O₃ with Cu species to form CuAl₂O₄. The EXAFS data reveals that the Cu species in washcoat samples have Cu-O bonding with a bond distance of 1.88 ± 0.02 Å and the coordination number is 3.46 ± 0.05, respectively. Moreover, a hydrogen production rate of 2.16 L h⁻¹ is obtained and the corresponding methanol conversion is 98% at 543 K using the CuO/ZnO with ZrO₂ sol washcoat catalyst.
authors.affiliation: Fuel Cell Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li 320, Taiwan. kslin@saturn.yzu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Kuen-Song
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Sujan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Mu-Ting
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Wan-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Chuin-Tih
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yeh
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002384:Catalysis; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D036103:Nanotechnology; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D006859:Hydrogen; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide; D000432:Methanol