Developing effective and robust reforming catalysts is critical for mobile and stationary fuel cells using hydrocarbon fuels. Liquid hydrocarbon fuels are high-density fuels that are widely available for fuel cell applications, but the higher hydrocarbons can cause coke formation and the organic sulfur leads to sulfur poisoning of the catalysts. Thus a major challenge is to develop sulfur-tolerant and carbon-resistant catalysts for steam reforming of liquid hydrocarbon fuels at low temperatures for fuel cells. Rhodium catalysts are active for low-temperature steam reforming of hydrocarbons but are easily poisoned by sulfur. Nickel catalysts are widely used for natural gas reforming for hydrogen production but suffer from quick coking with higher hydrocarbon feeds. We have proposed a design concept for new bimetallic catalysts and conducted a series of experimental work coupled with analytical characterization and computational analysis. Loading ceria on alumina was found to improve the steam adsorption and activation and resist coke formation. Adding nickel to rhodium was found to improve catalytic activity for hydrocarbon activation and also protect rhodium from sulfur poisoning. Rhodium also makes nickel more resistant to carbon deposition. These findings led to the development of sulfur-tolerant and carbon-resistant bimetallic catalysts supported on CeO2-modified Al2O3 support for fuel cells.  Recent advances in our laboratory will be discussed on the sulfur-tolerant and carbon-resistant catalysts for low-temperature steam reforming of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.  More background information is available in recent publications [J.J. Strohm at al., J. Catal. 2006 (238) 309; Y. Li et al. Appl. Catal A: Gen. 2009 (357) 213; C. Xie et al., Appl. Catal A: Gen. 2010 (390) 210; C.S. Song, Catal. Today 2002 (77) 17; Guo et al. ACS Catalysis, 2011 (1) 574] on fuel reforming catalysis for fuel cells.

Improving sulfur tolerance and carbon resistance of bimetallic catalysts for steam reforming of hydrocarbon fuels for fuel cells

243rd National Meeting (2012)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.