Low Cost Autothermal Diesel Reforming Catalyst Development

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Journal of Undergraduate Research

OSTI ID:1051677

Shihadeh, J; Liu, D

Catalytic autothermal reforming (ATR) represents an important step of converting fossil fuel to hydrogen rich reformate for use in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks. The state-of-the-art reforming catalyst, at present, is a Rh based material which is effective but costly. The objective of our current research is to reduce the catalyst cost by finding an efficient ATR catalyst containing no rhodium. A group of perovskite based catalysts have been synthesized and evaluated under the reforming condition of a diesel surrogate fuel. Hydrogen yield, reforming efficiency, and conversion selectivity to carbon oxides of the catalyst ATR reaction are calculated and compared with the benchmark Rh based material. Several catalyst synthesis improvements were carried out including: 1) selectively doping metals on the A-site and B-site of the perovskite structure, 2) changing the support from perovskite to alumina, 3) altering the method of metal addition, and 4) using transition metals instead of noble metals. It was found that the catalytic activity changed little with modification of the A-site metal, while it displayed considerable dependence on the B-site metal. Perovskite supports performed much better than alumina based supports.

• Research Organization: DOESC (USDOE Office of Science (SC) (United States))
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• OSTI ID: 1051677
• Journal Information: Journal of Undergraduate Research, Journal Name: Journal of Undergraduate Research Vol. 4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English