Reforming of oxygenates for H2 production: Reactivity of ethylene glycol and ethanol on 3d-Pt(111) bimetallic surfaces
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Production of hydrogen for use in fuel cells can be achieved by selective reforming of oxygenates. These oxygenates may be derived from renewable biomass and offer advantages such as low toxicity, low reactivity, and compatibility with the current infrastructure for transportation and storage. Platinum has been identified as one of the most promising catalysts for the reforming of oxygenates. The reactions of oxygenates, such as ethylene glycol and ethanol, were studied on 3d-Pt(111) bimetallic surfaces. The bimetallic surfaces were prepared by physical vapor deposition of the desired second metal onto Pt(111) to monitor surface compositions. Ethylene glycol reacted via dehydrogenation to form CO and H2, corresponding to the desired reforming reaction, and via total decomposition to produce C(ad), O(ad), and H2. Ethanol reacted by three reaction pathways, dehydrogenation, decarbonylation, and total decomposition, producing H2, CO, CH4, C(ad), and O(ad). Surfaces prepared by deposition of a monolayer of Ni on Pt(111) at 300 K, designated as Ni-Pt-Pt(111), displayed increased reforming activity compared to Pt(111), subsurface monolayer Pt-Ni-Pt(111), and thick Ni/Pt(111). This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA 11/12-17/2006).