ZnO Nanowire-supported Ag Catalyst for Methanol Steam Reforming

Alternative energy sources, such as various fuel cell technologies, have attracted intense attention due to their high efficiency and low emissions of pollutants. Methanol, with its high hydrogen/carbon ratio, low sulfur content and the absence of carbon–carbon bonds, has been identified as a highly suitable source for onboard production of hydrogen [1]. Among several reactions for converting methanol to H2, methanol steam reforming (MSR) is one of the most attractive processes because it can provide a high H2 content and an extremely low level of CO in the product [2]. We report here our recent study of Ag nanoparticles (NPS) supported on ZnO nanowires (NWs) as a catalyst for MSR reaction.