Hydrogen production by steam reforming of ethanol: Study of mixed oxide catalysts Ce2Zr1.5Me0.5O8: Comparison of Ni/Co and effect of Rh

One of the most interesting routes to produce energy from biomass is the production of hydrogen by bio-ethanol steam reforming. Deactivation, related to carbonaceous compounds deposition, is considered the principal inconvenience of the catalytic system based on transition metals supported on oxides. Carbon formation could be minimized using a support with good redox properties, a promoter, or enhancing the strong metal–support interaction. In this work, a catalytic system based on doped Ce–Zr mixed oxides with Co, Ni, Rh, Rh–Co or Rh–Ni is synthesized using a pseudo sol–gel method, characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo-programmed reduction (TPR), and evaluated as catalyst in the steam reforming of ethanol. Ethanol steam reforming and physicochemical characterization were performed in order to understand the active phase and the role of the promoter on the catalyst reduction state, the catalytic performance and the carbonaceous deposits formation.