Hydrogen production through glycerol steam reforming using Co catalysts supported on SBA-15 doped with Zr,Ce and La

The steam reforming of glycerol has been studied at 500 and 600 oC using Co/SBA-15 and Co/M/SBA-15(M: Zr, Ce, or La) promoted catalysts. The prepared materials were characterized by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP-AES), X-ray powder diffraction(XRD), hydrogen temperatureprogramed reduction(H_2-TPR), ammonia temperature-programed desorption(NH_3-TPD), nitrogen physisorption analysis(N_2-BET), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA). The incorporation of promoters like Zr, Ce and La on SBA-15 support and successive Co impregnation leaded to smaller cobalt crystallites improving metaldispersion. Besides, stronger metal-support interactions between Co species and M/SBA-15 supports were observed. Thanks to the incorporation of Zr, La and mainly Ce, promoted catalysts present higher glycerol conversion than Co/SBA-15 along 5 h of time on stream. Besides, at 600 oC, Co/M/SBA-15(M: Zr, Ce, or La) catalysts produce higher hydrogen amounts than Co/SBA-15.