Performance Evaluation of Cu-SiO2 Aerogel Catalyst in Methanol Steam Reforming

Effect of copper content, calcination temperature and activation method on the activity and selectivity of copper-silica aerogel catalysts for hydrogen production from methanol steam reforming was investigated. Results showed the copper content had the highest impact and the activation condition had the lowest impact on the catalyst performance. It was found that Cu-SiO2 aerogel was a promising catalyst for methanol steam reforming. The only parameter which influences the CO selectivity was copper content. Using the best prepared catalyst, no CO formation was detected in the common condition of reaction. In the used range of feed flow rates, methanol conversion was increased 1.5-2.26 times by increasing the copper content from 7.7 to 13.3 wt%. Characteristics/performance relationship showed that the samples in which copper species exist as CuO clusters had the best performance to increase the hydrogen production rate and decrease the CO formation. Formation of CuO clusters was increased by increasing the copper loading and calcination temperature. It was found that due to the reducibility behaviour of copper-silica aerogels the activation method of catalysts had almost no effect on the catalytic performance.