INFLUENCE OF Cu AND Ni CATALYSTS ON ETHANOL GASIFICATION UNDER SUPERCRITICAL WATER CONDITIONS

This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate metal catalysts supported on Al2O3 applied to the supercritical water gasification of ethanol. Monometallic catalysts based on Cu and Ni at 5% by mass and bimetallic catalysts with Mg addition were prepared to achieve this. The catalysts were produced via aqueous impregnation of metal nitrates with excess solvent, followed by calcination and characterization (SEM, XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, XRF, and TG/DTA). Catalytic tests were performed in a continuous-flow reactor with a feed flow rate of 5 ml/min, ethanol:H2O molar ratio of 1:10, and 5 g of catalyst, with a temperature range from 450 to 60 ºC. Results revealed that the best ethanol conversions were achieved with Mg in the active phase (58% for Cu-Mg/Al2O3). However, higher ethanol conversion with bimetallic catalysts did not significantly increase H2 production, with the maximum gas flow achieved at 600 ºC using the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst.