Steam reforming of methanol, ethanol, acetic acid, acetone, and bio-oil for hydrogen generation: Catalytic and mechanistic insight

Steam reforming of ethanol, methanol, acetone, acetic acid, and crude bio-oil is a viable source of hydrogen generation. Several reports suggest the successful conversion of these five distinct feeds into hydrogen at the laboratory scale. A generalized process approach that may help to deal with several operational challenges is missing. The review analyzes all the important reaction parameters and their effect on the hydrogen yield and feed conversion for individual feed and draws a generalized conclusion. A number of catalytic systems, including Ni, Co, and Rh, are active towards the steam reforming reaction. Furthermore, a review of the current knowledge on the reaction mechanism provides insight into the connection between catalyst structure and its effectiveness and provides a broader outlook to synthesize high-performing steam reforming catalysts. In the end, data compiled from the literature shows the various trends of feed conversion and hydrogen yield at varying parameters.