Screening of ceria-based catalysts for internal methane reforming in low temperature SOFC

Ceria-based catalysts have been assessed for internal methane reforming at low temperature (400–600 °C) in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). A combinatorial library of 15 metal (Cu, Pt, Ni) supported ceria was prepared using wet impregnation method. The ceria-based oxides are undoped or doped with metal transition (Zr) or by rare earth (Gd or Pr). The effect of the metal, the dopant and the surface area on the catalytic performances was investigated in high-throughput manner using a 16-parallel reactor. The catalysts were assessed in two different conditions, (i) in CH4 rich condition and (ii) in model reformate condition. Catalytic performances are very metal depending. In dry conditions, Cu-based catalysts do not produce H2 whereas Ni-catalysts are very active despite low carbon balance. However, when water and CO2 are added in the feed, the nature of the ceria plays an important role in the catalytic performances. At low temperature (T < 550 °C), most of Ni/ceria catalysts are not active under reformate conditions at low temperature while Pt catalysts appear more robust with respect to the conditions. From unsteady state parallel studies, we suggest that surface hydroxyl on ceria are the active species.