Light alcohols reforming towards renewable hydrogen production on multicomponent catalysts

Fuel cells (FC) produce electricity in a continuous mode through a catalytic reaction and have many possible applications, as for example, in the transportation sector substituting the combustion engines. These devices can be regarded as a free emission technology if the fuel used in them is obtained in a renewable mode, such as hydrogen from the reforming of light alcohols obtained from biomass fermentation or gasification. In fact, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) use hydrogen as fuel that, in turn, has to be free of carbon monoxide (CO) since the later chemical species poisons the platinum based catalyst applied in the electrochemical process. This review aims at clarifying how multicomponent catalysts can be used in the hydrogen production from light alcohols reforming to overcome the limitations of current catalysts. Specifically, their low thermal stability, the CO formation that is not suitable for FC use, the carbon (coke) production that poisons the reforming catalyst, or byproducts (i.e. CH4) generation that reduces the hydrogen amount produced. Special emphasis is paid to the applicability of theoretical methods for the study and development of improved multicomponent catalysts for light alcohols reforming. •Multicomponent catalysts for hydrogen production limit the poison of FC's platinum catalyst.•Thermal stability of reforming catalysts is improved by the addition of extra components.•Hydrogen production with multicomponent catalysts limits the CO, CH4 and coke formation.•Computational methods are useful for the study of hydrogen production in multicomponent catalysts.