Review of fuel processing catalysts for hydrogen production in PEM fuel cell systems

The rapid development in recent years of the proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology has stimulated research in all areas of fuel processor catalysts for hydrogen generation. The principal aim is to develop more active catalytic systems that allow for the reduction in size and increase the efficiency of fuel processors. The overall selectivity in generating a low CO content hydrogen stream as needed by the PEM fuel cell catalyst is dependent on the efficiency of the catalysts in each segment of the fuel processor. This article reviews the advances achieved during the past few years in the development of catalytic materials for hydrogen generation through fuel reforming,11In the context of this paper, ‘reforming’ refers to the conversion of a specified fuel to syngas-type mixtures, and it is not to be understood as the catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons for the production of aromatics. -gas shift and carbon monoxide preferential oxidation, as used or aimed to be of use in fuel processing for PEM fuel cell systems.