CeO₂-Al₂O₃-supported noble metal catalysts for steam reforming of hydrocarbons for fuel cells

Various noble metals (Rh, Ru, Ir, Pt, Pd, Ni) were supported on CeO₂ modified Al₂O₃ for the steam reforming of jet fuel via a two-step process, i.e., pre-reforming under low temperature and main reforming at high temperature. The conversion was always near 100%. In the products, hydrogen was near 55%, the content of CO was only 5%, while the CO₂ and CH₄ was the dominant carbon-containing products with similar contents (both ∼ 20%). At higher temperature, e.g., 800°C, Ir/CeO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst showed the highest activity for steam reforming of lower hydrocarbon among all the CeO₂-Al₂O₃ supported noble metal catalysts. However, at lower temperature as in the case of pre-reforming (at ∼ 500°C), iridium lost its superiority to rhodium and rhenium.