Noble metal catalysts for methanol steam reforming: advances and future directions for hydrogen production

Abstract

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) has attracted considerable attention due to its excellent performance for large-scale hydrogen production. However, the MSR reaction exhibits sluggish kinetics and is highly dependent on catalysts with high activity and outstanding selectivity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Cu-based catalysts deliver superior performance in MSR, yet their rapid deactivation under operating conditions severely limits practical applications. In contrast, noble-metal catalysts offer markedly enhanced stability, which can effectively mitigate the deactivation issues associated with Cu-based systems. Moreover, through rational support design, strengthening metal-support interactions, and the strategic introduction of promoters, the noble-metal loading can be substantially reduced without compromising catalytic performance, thereby alleviating the critical cost constraint. Accordingly, this review first discusses the reaction mechanisms and synthesis strategies of noble-metal catalysts. Subsequently, a comprehensive overview of the most recent advances in noble-metal catalysts for MSR is presented. Progress in balancing catalytic performance and cost efficiency is highlighted, and the remaining challenges and future research directions are discussed to inform the rational development of noble-metal-based MSR catalysts.