Rh/CeO2 catalyst preparation and characterization for hydrogen production from ethanol partial oxidation

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 440 - 449
• Main Authors: Costa, L. O. O, Vasconcelos, S. M. R, Pinto, A. L, Silva, A. M, Mattos, L. V, Noronha, F. B, Borges, L. E. P
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetaldehyde; adsorption; Applied sciences; Carbon; Catalysis; Catalysts; Cerium oxides; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Energy; energy-dispersive X-ray analysis; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Ethanol; Exact sciences and technology; fluorescence; Fuel cells; fuel production; General and physical chemistry; Hydrogen production; Materials Science; nitrogen; Oxidation; Polymer Sciences; Rhodium; Scanning electron microscopy; Sintering; Solid Mechanics; Surface physical chemistry; temperature; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Transmission electron microscopy; X-radiation; X-ray fluorescence; Hydrogen Production; CeO2; Rhodium; Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy; Ceria; Binary compound; Particle size; Hydrogen; X ray fluorescence; Alcohol; Cerium oxide; Supported catalyst; Acetaldehyde; Characterization; Lanthanide compound; Chemical reduction; Alkanol; Platinoid; Deposition; Fuel cell; Scanning electron microscopy; Deactivation; Ethanol; Transition metal; Nitrogen; Carbon; Partial oxidation; Heterogeneous catalysis; Transmission electron microscopy; Adsorption; Sintering; Preparation
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-007-1982-2

Hydrogen production for fuel cells from ethanol partial oxidation was evaluated on 1% Rh/CeO₂ catalyst. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze carbon formation and the possible sintering of the metallic phase. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), nitrogen adsorption, and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) were also used for catalyst characterization. Two groups of rhodium particles of different sizes were observed. By SEM/EDS analysis, no residual chloride was identified. TEM made it possible to identify the presence of rhodium in small clusters. On the other hand, products distribution was affected by reaction temperature. At 473 K, only traces of acetaldehyde were detected for the Rh/CeO₂ catalyst. In the reaction conditions, no deactivation of the catalyst due to carbon deposition or sintering of the metal was observed. Overall, our results show that the performance of Rh/CeO₂ catalyst points to promising applications in terms of H₂ production for fuel cells technology by ethanol partial oxidation.