Nature of the Active Sites and Reaction Mechanism during Methanol Steam Reforming over Cu/ZnO: An Isotopic Modulated Excitation Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Study.

Hydrogen production with high efficiency and low CO selectivity is the objective of developing methanol steam reforming (MSR) catalysts. The nature of the active sites and reaction mechanisms, however, has not been fully resolved, hampering the rational design of improved catalysts. Herein, we apply the isotope modulation excitation-phase sensitive detection-diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (ME-PSD-DRIFTS) method to identify active surface species and determine the reaction pathway of the dynamic processes.