from first principles PP-I-1

OP-III-19Comparative Studies of Pd, Ru, Ni and Cu Supported ZnAl 2 O 4 CatalystsUsed for Hydrogen Production from Methanol Steam ReformingMierczynski P. 1 , Vasilev K. 2 , Vasilev A. 2 , Maniecki T.P. 11 Lodz University of Technology, Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry,Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland2 University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Adelaide, South Australia SA 5095mierczyn25@wp.plIntroductionIntensive appreciation in prices of fuel as well as shrinking stocks of petroleum and hard coalhave caused growth of interest in new source of energy [1, 2].One of the most promising alternative fuel is hydrogen. It has the highest specific energycontent of all conventional fuels being the most abundant element in the universe [3, 4].Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells which can achieve a high electric efficiency. The totalenergy efficiency may even exceed 90% if the waste heat can be used [5]. Hydrogen and fuelcells are often considered as a key technology for future sustainable energy supply. Incomparison to traditional methods for electric energy generation from coal, fuel cell havelower carbon dioxide emission about 40% - 60% and nitrogen oxides emission about50% - 90%, which has significant influence on ecology.Experimental and Discusion - The monometallic Pd, Ru, Ni and Cu (2%wt. Pd, Ru, 5% Ni,20% Cu) catalysts supported on ZnAl 2 O 4 were prepared by conventional impregnationmethods. In order to prepare ZnAl 2 O 4 support, zinc acetate and aluminium nitrate compoundswere used. The ammonia co-precipitated mixture of zinc and aluminium hydroxides withmolar ratio Zn : Al = 0.5 was dried and calcined for 4 h in air at 600 °C. The physicochemicalproperties of catalysts were examined by BET, XRD, XPS, TPR andTPD-NH 3 methods. Chemisorption uptakes were measured using ASAP 2020C apparatus fromMicromeritics (USA). The activity tests in methanol steam reforming (SRM) and methanoldecomposition were carried out over all prepared catalysts in the temperature range160 – 320 °C in a flow quartz reactor under atmospheric pressure, molar ratio H 2 O/CH 3 OH = 1.The formation of spinel ZnAl 2 O 4 structure during calcination process was proved by XRDtechnique. Phase composition studies of monometallic catalysts supported on ZnAl 2 O 4 spinelstructure showed the appearance of appropriate oxide phases: PdO, RuO 2 , CuO, ZnAl 2 O 4 andZnO in the case of catalysts calcined in air at 400 °C for 4 h. XRD measurements carried outfor catalysts after reduction process confirmed the presence of metallic Cu, Ru, PdZn and62