Cerium dioxide (CeO2, ceria) is becoming an ubiquitous constituent in catalytic systems for a variety of applications. 2016 sees the 40th anniversary since ceria was first employed by Ford Motor Company as an oxygen storage component in car converters, to become in the years since its inception an irreplaceable component in three-way catalysts (TWCs). Apart from this well-established use, ceria is looming as a catalyst component for a wide range of catalytic applications. For some of these, such as fuel cells, CeO2-based materials have almost reached the market stage, while for some other catalytic reactions, such as reforming processes, photocatalysis, water-gas shift reaction, thermochemical water splitting, and organic reactions, ceria is emerging as a unique material, holding great promise for future market breakthroughs. While much knowledge about the fundamental characteristics of CeO2-based materials has already been acquired, new characterization techniques and powerful theoretical methods are dee...

Fundamentals and Catalytic Applications of CeO2-Based Materials

Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste.

Hydrogen is considered to be the most viable energy carrier for the future. Producing hydrogen from ethanol steam reforming would not only be environmentally friendly but also would open new opportunities for utilization of renewable resources, which are globally available. This paper reviews the current state of the steam reforming process of ethanol, examines different catalysts, and, finally, makes a comparative analysis. Different catalysts have been used for the steam reforming of ethanol. Depending on the type of catalysts, reaction conditions, and the catalyst preparation method, ethanol conversion and hydrogen production vary greatly. It was observed that Co/ZnO, ZnO, Rh/Al2O3, Rh/CeO2, and Ni/La2O3−Al2O3 performed the best, in regard to the steam reforming of ethanol. Currently, hydrogen production from ethanol steam reforming is still in the research and development stage.

Current status of hydrogen production techniques by steam reforming of ethanol : A review

Hydrogen production reactions from carbon feedstocks: fossil fuels and biomass.

Alternatives to petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals are being sought in an effort to improve air quality and increase energy security through development of novel technologies for the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals using renewable energy sources such as biomass. In this context, ethanol is being considered as a potential alternative synthetic fuel to be used in automobiles or as a potential source of hydrogen for fuel cells as it can be produced from biomass. Renewable ethanol can also serve as a feedstock for the synthesis of a variety of industrial chemicals and polymers. Currently, ethanol is produced primarily by fermentation of biomass-derived sugars, especially those containing six carbons, whereas 5-carbon sugars and lignin, which are also present in the biomass, remain unusable. Gasification of biomass to syngas (CO + H2), followed by catalytic conversion of syngas, could produce ethanol in large quantities. However, the catalytic conversion of syngas to ethanol remains challenging,...

A Review of Recent Literature to Search for an Efficient Catalytic Process for the Conversion of Syngas to Ethanol

Hydrogen production from ethanol over Ir/CeO2 catalysts : A comparative study of steam reforming, partial oxidation and oxidative steam reforming

A scheme for solid superacids sites in zeolites is proposed which implies interactions between protonic sites and polymeric oxoaluminium deposits in the zeolite voids.

Superacid sites in zeolites

Oxidative reforming of biomass derived ethanol for hydrogen production in fuel cell applications

Deactivation of nickel-based catalysts during CO methanation and disproportionation

Previous research showed that hydrodeoxygenated (HDO) pyrolysis-oils could successfully be co-processed with vacuum gasoil (VGO) in a labscale fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit to bio-fuels. Typically the hydrodeoxygenation step takes place at ∼300 °C under 200–300 bar of hydrogen. Eliminating or replacing this step by a less energy demanding upgrading step would largely benefit the FCC co-processing of pyrolysis oils to bio-fuels. In this paper a bio-oil that has been produced by catalytic pyrolysis (catalytic pyrolysis oil or CPO) is used directly, without further upgrading, in catalytic cracking co-processing mode with VGO. The results are compared to the co-processing of upgraded (via HDO) thermal pyrolysis oil. Though small but significant differences in the product distribution and quality have been observed between the co-processing of either HDO or CPO, they could be corrected by further catalyst development (pyrolysis and/or FCC), which would eliminate the need for an up-stream hydrodeoxygenation step. Moreover, the organic yield of the catalytic pyrolysis route is estimated at approximately 30 wt.% compared to an overall yield for the thermal pyrolysis followed by a hydrodeoxygenation step of 24 wt.%.

Claude Mirodatos

Papers

Hydrogen production from ethanol over Ir/CeO2 catalysts : A comparative study of steam reforming, partial oxidation and oxidative steam reforming

Superacid sites in zeolites

Oxidative reforming of biomass derived ethanol for hydrogen production in fuel cell applications

Deactivation of nickel-based catalysts during CO methanation and disproportionation

Second-generation biofuels by co-processing catalytic pyrolysis oil in FCC units