Texture/phase evolution during microwave fabrication of nanocrystalline multicomponent (Cu/Zn/Al)O metal oxides with varying diethylene glycol content applied in hydrogen production

A series of Cu/Zn/Al mixed oxides, as steam methanol reforming catalysts, were synthesized via the microwave assisted combustion synthesis method using diethylene glycol as the organic fuel. The nanocatalysts were analyzed by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET, H₂-TPR and FTIR techniques to ensure authenticity of the synthesis steps and pursuing the effect of the fuel/nitrate ratio on their physicochemical properties. The results proved the necessity of defining an optimum fuel/nitrate ratio for the combustion synthesis method. Fuel/nitrate ratio affects significantly on crystal growth and crystalline facets size. Proper crystallography of CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃ (DEG/Nitrate = 3) nanocatalyst along with higher specific surface area and distributed particle size, made it predictable that it could result in higher methanol conversion in the steam methanol reforming process. The catalytic performance studies justified assumptions, since the CZA (DEG/N = 3) presented higher methanol conversion and selectivity toward desired products as well as its high stability.