Steam reforming of shale gas over Al2O3 supported Ni-Cu nano-catalysts

Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier that does not exist in nature in its pure form and should be acquired from other fossil fuels and organic materials. In this article, an experimental study was done to evaluate the potential of steam reforming of shale gas over Al₂O₃ supported Ni-Cu nano-catalysts for hydrogen production. By increasing reaction temperature, the shale gas conversion continuously increased. The introduction of additional steam to reactor had a positive impact on hydrogen yield, but its impact was not as significant as reaction temperature. As a result, the catalytic activity of Ni-Cu/Al₂O₃ prepared by impregnation was higher than the Ni-Cu/Al₂O₃ prepared by co-precipitation method.