Hydrogen Production from Ethanol Steam Reforming over SnO2-K2O/Zeolite Y Catalyst

The SnO2 with a particle size of about 300 nm instead of Ni is used in this study to overcome rapid catalytic deactivation by the formation of a NiAl2O4 spinal structure on the conventional Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst and simultaneously impregnated the catalyst with potassium (K). The SnO2-K2O impregnated Zeolite Y catalyst (SnO2-K2O/ZY) exhibited significantly higher ethanol reforming reactivity that that achieved with SnO2 100 and SnO2 30 wt %/ZY catalysts. The main products from ethanol steam reforming (ESR) over the SnO2-K2O/ ZY catalyst were H2, CO2, and CH4, with no evidence of any CO molecule formation. The H2 production and ethanol conversion were maximized at 89 % and 100%, respectively, over SnO2 30 wt %-K2O 3.0 wt %/ZY at 600 oC for 1 h at a CH3CH2OH:H2O ratio of 1:1 and a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 12,700 h −1. No catalytic deactivation occurred for up to 73 h. This result is attributable to the easier and weaker of reduction of Sn components and acidities over SnO2-K2O/ZY catalyst, respectively, than those of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts