Hydrogen production from ethanol steam reforming at low temperature over Ni/Y₂O₃ catalyst. Effect of hydrogen reduction on the catalysts

The nano-sized Ni/Y₂O₃ catalyst prepared by impregnation-hot decomposition-hydrogen reduction method and impregnation-hot decomposition technique was studied. The Ni/Y₂O₃ catalyst reduced by hydrogen showed high activity for ethanol steam reforming with conversion of ethanol of 95.3% and selectivity of hydrogen of 53.6% at 320°C, with ethanol conversion of 81.9% and hydrogen selectivity of 43.1% at 250°C. The ethanol conversion and hydrogen selectivity were kept ∼ 93 and 53.2%, respectively, after 60 hr stability test at 320°C. The catalyst reduced by hydrogen had higher activity for ethanol steam reforming at low temperature.