Low temperature steam reforming of ethanol over cobalt doped bismuth vanadate [Bi4(V0.90Co0.10)2O11-δ (BICOVOX)] catalysts for hydrogen production

Abstract

The atmospheric pressure low temperature steam reforming of ethanol over Bi4(V0.90Co0.10)2O11-δ (BICOVOX) catalysts, synthesize by a solution combustion synthesis method and calcined at 400, 600 and 800 °C, has been investigated at different reactor temperatures, H2O: EtOH molar ratios and feed flow rates. For fresh catalysts amount, crystallinity and particle size of pure γ-BICOVOX phase is observed to increase with increasing calcination temperature. Phase purity and crystallinity of the catalysts are almost retained till 30 h of activity study with some amount of carbon formation as derived from XRD, XPS, FESEM and simultaneous DTA-TGA study. Catalyst calcined at 600 °C (BICOVOX-600) exhibits the highest ethanol conversion (100%) with maximum H2 selectivity (80%) under reaction conditions of 400 °C, 23:1H2O: EtOH molar ratio and 0.35 cc min−1 feed flow rate. The maximum O2− vacancy present in lattice and lowest coke deposition could explain the best performance of BICOVOX-600 catalyst.