Aqueous-phase reforming of xylitol over Pt/C and Pt/TiC-CDC catalysts: catalyst characterization and catalytic performance

Abstract

The aqueous phase reforming (APR) of xylitol was studied over five Pt/C catalysts. The correlation between physico-chemical properties of the catalysts and catalytic performance was established. The Pt/C catalysts have different textural properties as well as different mean Pt cluster sizes and surface acidity. The average Pt cluster size was investigated by means of CO chemisorption as well as by TEM. The reaction was found to be structure sensitive and TOF linearly increases with increasing average Pt cluster size in the studied domain. The catalysts which possess higher surface acidity favoured higher rates of hydrocarbon production. On the contrary the Pt/C materials with lower acidities generated hydrogen with high selectivity and TOF.