Effect of Co, Fe and Rh addition on coke deposition over Ni/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 catalysts for steam reforming of ethanol

Ni-based monometallic and bimetallic catalysts (Ni, NiRh, NiCo and NiFe) supported on Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 support were evaluated on the steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) performance. The supports of Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 composite oxide was prepared by co-precipitation method with Na2CO3 precipitant and assigned as CeZr(N). The monometallic catalyst was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and assigned as Ni/CeZr(N). The bimetallic catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation method to disperse the metals on the CeZr(N) support and assigned as NiM/CeZr(N). All samples were characterized by using XRD, TPR, BET, EA and TEM techniques at various stages of the catalyst. The results indicated that the facile reduction and smaller particle size of Ni/CeZr(N) (T99 = 300 °C) and NiRh/CeZr(N) (T99 = 250 °C) catalysts were preferential than the NiFe/CeZr(N) (T99 = 325 °C) and NiCo/CeZr(N) (T99 = 375 °C) catalysts. Also, both the Ni/CeZr(N) and NiRh/CeZr(N) catalysts displayed better durability among these catalysts over 100 h and 400 h, respectively. Since the serious coke formation for the NiCo/CeZr(N) catalyst, the activity only maintained around 6 h, the durability on the NiFe/CeZr(N) catalyst approached 50 h.