Active Cu/ZnO and Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts prepared by homogeneous precipitation method in steam reforming of methanol

Cu/ZnO and Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by homogeneous precipitation (HP) using urea hydrolysis and were applied for hydrogen production by steam reforming of methanol. The catalysts showed higher activities than those prepared by coprecipitation (CP). It is suggested that the good catalytic performances of HP-Cu/ZnO and HP-Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 are due to both highly dispersed Cu metal species and to high accessibility of the Cu metal species to methanol and steam. The homogeneous precipitation method by urea hydrolysis is preferable for the preparation of active Cu/ZnO and Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.