Well-dispersed CuZn catalysts supported on mesoporous alumina for efficient methanol steam reforming via EDTA-assisted impregnation

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is a promising hydrogen production technology, but conventional Cu-based catalysts suffer from insufficient activity and stability. Herein, mesoporous Al-TUD-1 with large surface area and three-dimensional porous structure was prepared by using a facile sol–gel route. A series of CuZn/EAT-x catalysts with different EDTA/Cu molar ratios were fabricated by EDTA-assisted impregnation method and applied in MSR for the first time. Characterization results demonstrated that appropriate EDTA dosage improved metal-support interaction and active species dispersion. Compared to CuZn/Al-TUD-1, EDTA-modified CuZn/EAT-x catalysts displayed enhanced physicochemical properties and catalytic performance due to the strong Cu-EDTA coordination. The CuZn/EAT-1 catalyst featured the smallest Cu particle size and abundant Cu 0 /Cu + active species, delivering promising activity and stability. Notably, it achieved 94.9% methanol conversion at 275 °C while maintaining near-zero CO selectivity across a wide temperature window (200–300 °C), indicating effective suppression of the reverse water–gas shift reaction. The catalyst also retained 95% of its initial methanol conversion after 60 h on stream, with its H 2 production rate remaining essentially stable.