Methanol Steam Reforming with Hierarchical ZnO/CuO Nanowire Catalysts

Abstract

ZnO/CuO nanowire (NW) catalysts for methanol steam reforming are prepared and evaluated for hydrogen production for fuel cells. NW catalysts are expected to be more durable than conventional nanoparticle catalysts due to their fine structure that prevents agglomeration. In this study, we introduce a hierarchical structure to the NWs to increase the active surface area. The NW catalysts are prepared by hydrothermally synthesizing ZnO NWs and coating them with CuO. The reforming tests indicate that the coexistence of CuO and ZnO under appropriate conditions and the hierarchical structure improve the catalytic performance.