METHOD FOR HYDROTHERMAL PREPARATION OF METAL OXIDE CATALYST SUPPORT, COMPOSITE CATALYST AND APPLICATIONS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

摘要

The present invention refers to the preparation method of a metal oxide catalyst support comprising the preparation of an aqueous solution of urea, one metal salt and preferentially poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol). The metal oxide of the present invention has surface area above 80 m²⋅g^-1. The present invention also refers to the preparation method of a catalyst supported on a metal oxide. The synthesized catalysts demonstrated to be highly active to methanol steam reforming at low temperatures with low amount of carbon monoxide produced. This behaviour is extremely convenient for application in power systems based in high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC) technology. The present invention still refers to a fuel cell that comprises a composite metal oxide catalyst, being the fuel cell applied to a HT-PEMFC. The catalyst of the present invention has applications in methanol steam reforming reaction at temperatures above 160 º C, preferentially at 180-220 º C; in water-gas shift reaction; and in dimethyl ether steam reforming.