Steam reforming on reactive carbon nanotube membranes
Abstract We developed the first self-heated catalytic membrane made of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and used it for steam reforming of alcohols. After exploring a variety of Ni catalyst preparation methods, we selected the most promising route and made Ni@CNT membranes. Then, we used them to produce hydrogen from methanol, ethanol and iso-propanol whilst current was passed through to deliver thermal energy required for the catalytic reaction to take place. By employing Joule heating, we were able to reach temperatures up to about 450 °C and probe the catalytic activity of the system. Despite that such self-heated metal–CNT hybrid is still in early phase of development, it has already shown promises for microscale steam reforming and many other chemical transformations that require efficient and uniform heating conditions.