The sol-gel autocombustion as a route towards highly CO-selective, active and long-term stable Cu/ZrO methanol steam reforming catalysts.

The adaption of the sol-gel autocombustion method to the Cu/ZrO system opens new pathways for the specific optimisation of the activity, long-term stability and CO selectivity of methanol steam reforming (MSR) catalysts. Calcination of the same post-combustion precursor at 400 °C, 600 °C or 800 °C allows accessing Cu/ZrO interfaces of metallic Cu with either amorphous, tetragonal or monoclinic ZrO, influencing the CO selectivity and the MSR activity distinctly different. While the CO selectivity is less affected, the impact of the post-combustion calcination temperature on the Cu and ZrO catalyst morphology is more pronounced.