A mixed oxide support containing Ce, Zr and Al was synthesized using a physical grinding method and applied in the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane using CO2 as the oxidant. The activity of the support was compared with that of fully-formulated catalysts containing palladium. The Pd/CeZrAlOx material exhibited long-term stability and selectivity to propene (during continuous operation for 140 h) which is not normally associated with dehydrogenation catalysts. From temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 and CO2 it was found that the catalyst possessed both acidic and basic sites. In addition, temperature programmed reduction showed that palladium promoted both the reduction and re-oxidation of the support. When the role of CO2 was investigated in the absence of gas-phase oxidant, using a Temporal Analysis of Products (TAP) reactor, it was found that CO2 dissociates over the reduced catalyst leading to formation of CO and selective oxygen species. It is proposed that CO2 has the dual role of regenerating selective oxygen species, and shifting the equilibrium for alkane dehydrogenation by consuming H2 through the reverse water-gas-shift reaction. These two mechanistic functions have previously been considered to be mutually exclusive.

On-board autothermal reforming, which had been intended for mobile fuel cell applications, has evolved into exhaust gas reforming—a technology that could make it more difficult for the internal combustion engine to be displaced. Among the technical barriers that prevented implementation of fuel cell drivetrains based on autothermal reforming was the integration of several chemical processes into an energy- and space-efficient system with a high degree of heat management. By contrast, an exhaust gas reformer bears much more resemblance to the passive catalytic converters used for exhaust-gas after treatment, except that it is located in a recirculation loop close to the engine. When the reactions are predominantly endothermic, the reformer recovers waste heat and generates reformate with a higher fuel heating value than that of the fuel it consumes. The reformate does not need any further treatment, but can be fed directly to the engine, where it will have an additional impact on fuel economy by acting as a gas-phase combustion promoter. On-board reforming also increases the number of potential after treatment options, some of which are substantially improved by the addition of hydrogen.

A range of Cs-doped Fe/Al₂O₃ catalysts were prepared for the ammonia decomposition reaction. Through time on-line studies it was shown that at all loadings of Cs investigated the activity of the Fe/Al₂O₃ catalysts was enhanced, with the optimum Cs:Fe being ca. 1. Initially, the rate of NH₃ decomposition was low, typically < 10% equilibrium conversion (99.7%@500°C) recorded after 1 h. All catalysts exhibited an induction period (typically ca. 10 h) with the conversion reaching a high of 67% equilibrium conversion for Cs:Fe = 0.5 and 1. The highest rate of decomposition observed was attributed to the balance between increasing the concentration of Cs without blocking the active site. Analysis of H₂-TPR and XPS measurements indicated that Cs acts as an electronic promoter. Previously, Cs has been shown to act as a promoter for Ru, where Cs alters the electron density of the active site, thereby facilitating the recombination of N₂ which is considered the rate determining step. In addition, XRD and N₂ adsorption measurements suggest that with higher Cs loadings deactivation of the catalytic activity is due to a layer of CsOH that forms on the surface and blocks active sites. Graphic