Development and Study of Self-Sustained Electrochemical Promotion Catalysts for Hydrocarbon Reforming

A series of study on self-sustained electrochemical promotion (SSEP) catalysts are summarized. The SSEP catalyst enables more than 90% conversion and 90% hydrogen sensitivity at temperatures of 450 – 650 ºC for methane and n-pentadecane reforming. The conversion and sensitivity is up to two orders of magnitude greater than those over Ni based catalyst and a commercial Pt catalyst at 450-550°C. The kinetic models incorporating Langmuir-Hinshelwood model and SSEP effect successfully describe the major characteristics of hydrocarbons reforming over the SSEP catalyst. This concept of SSEP catalyst may provide a new route for developing high performance catalysts for hydrocarbons reforming.