Biohydrogen production by gas phase reforming of glycerine and ethanol mixtures

In this paper the steam reforming of bioalcohols over Ni and Pt catalysts supported on bare Al₂O₃ and La₂O₃ and CeO₂-modified Al₂O₃ to produce H₂ was studied. Catalytic activity results showed that the glycerine and the intermediate liquid products may hinder the ethanol adsorption on metal active sites of the catalysts, especially at temperatures below 773 K. In fact, ethanol conversion was lower than glycerine conversion in the steam reforming reaction at low temperatures. H₂ chemisorption revealed that La₂O₃ doping of the Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst improved the metal dispersion providing a better behaviour to the Ni/Al₂O₃-O2 catalyst towards H₂ production. In the case of Pt catalysts, the good reducibility and the H₂ spillover effect provided to the Pt/Al₂O₃-O1 catalyst the capacity to produce higher H₂ yields.