Improved H2 Production by Ethanol Steam Reforming over Sc2O3-Doped Co-ZnO Catalysts

H2 production by catalytically ethanol steam reforming (ESR) is an effective and prospective method for the application of fuel cells. However, the catalysts’ desirable activity and stability remains an unprecedented challenge. Herein, a type of Sc2O3-doped Co-ZnO catalyst was developed by a co-precipitation method. The so-constructed Co2Zn1Sc0.3 catalyst exhibited a superb catalytic performance compared with Co-ZnO, giving a STY(H2) as high as 1.099 mol·h−1·g-cat−1 (data taken 100 h after the reaction started). In comparison, the pristine Co-ZnO catalyst only afforded a STY(H2) of 0.684 mol·h−1·g-cat−1 under identical reaction conditions. Characterization results revealed that the Sc2O3 dopant strengthened the electronic interaction between Co species and ZnO, which was in favour of elevating the reduction temperature of Co oxides and boosting the dispersion of the Con+ (n = 1 or 2). The introduction of Sc2O3 induced the formation of O2− and OH−. All of these effects effectively inhibited the sintering of active Co species and markedly improved the activity and operating stability of the catalyst