Methane Steam Reforming Kinetics for a Rhodium-Based Catalyst

Methane steam reforming is the key reaction to produce synthesis gas and hydrogen at the industrial scale. Here the kinetics of methane steam reforming over a rhodium-based catalyst is investigated in the temperature range 500-800 A degrees C and as a function of CH(4), H(2)O and H(2) partial pressures. The methane steam reforming reaction cannot be modeled without taking CO and H coverages into account. This is especially important at low temperatures and higher partial pressures of CO and H(2). For methane CO(2) reforming experiments, it is also necessary to consider the repulsive interaction of CO that lowers the adsorption energy at high CO coverage. The CO-CO interaction is supported by comparison with fundamental surface science studies.