Ethanol Steam Reforming Using Nanoporous Carbon Materials in Conventional and Membrane Reactors

The catalytic properties of samples containing Pd and Co metals on carbon supports (IR-pyrolyzed chitosan (CT) with an activated surface and detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) have been studied in the ethanol steam reforming process. CT is a promising catalyst support due to its developed surface and the presence of nitrogen-containing groups capable of sorbing water molecules. The use of a membrane reactor with a Pd–Ru–In membrane has significantly increased the efficiency of the ethanol steam reforming process due to removing hydrogen from the reaction zone. The hydrogen yield in the membrane reactor increases twofold or more compared to a conventional reactor, while the proportion of reaction byproducts (CO and acetaldehyde) decreases. The highest hydrogen yield (15.8 mol/h per gram of catalyst) in the membrane reactor is achieved using a Pd–Co/CT_KOH catalyst.