The intermediate state and mechanism of the steam reforming of methanol over CuO-ZnO-ZrO2 catalysts

Abstract

The temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and temperature-programmed surface reaction (TPSR) were studied by in situ mass spectrographic analysis. The results showed that methanol exists on the reactive surface of catalysts as molecular state and that adsorbed formate is one of intermediate species for the steam reforming of methanol (SRM). When the concentration of methanol among gas mixture is higher then 5.4%, 0.37% and 0.17% for catalyst CuO, CuO-ZnO and CuO-ZnO-ZrO2, respectively, adsorbed formate decomposes into CO 2 and H2, and conversely, CO, CO2 and H 2 are products of formate decomposition.