Ce–Zr Promoted Ni-Structured Catalysts on SiC Open-Cell Foams for Efficient Electrified Steam Reforming of Biomethane

Electrified steam methane reforming (eSMR) is emerging as a promising technology for the decarbonization of the chemical industry and low-carbon hydrogen production by coupling renewable electricity with renewable gaseous feedstocks such as biomethane. In this work, structured Ni-based catalysts washcoated on highly thermally conductive SiC open-cell foams (OCFs) were developed and evaluated for biomethane steam-reforming operating conditions. Two catalyst formulations, 30 wt.% Al2O3_30 wt.% CeO2_20 wt.%Ni and SiC_30 wt.% Al2O3_30 wt.%Ce0.25Zr0.75 O2_20 wt.%Ni, were tested in a laboratory-scale indirectly electrically heated reformer. The high thermal conductivity of the SiC-structured support ensured efficient heat transfer throughout the reactor, limiting radial temperature gradients to below 10 °C. Both catalyst formulations exhibited excellent catalytic performance; however, the Ce0.25Zr0.75O2-promoted catalyst achieved the best results, maintaining equilibrium methane conversion at a gas hourly space velocity above 7000 h−1 while reaching a specific electrical energy consumption of 2.06 kWh/Nm3 of produced H2 projected for industrial-scale efficiency. Notably, these performances were obtained with a catalyst loading approximately 20–50% lower than that of conventional commercial alumina pellet catalysts. XRD characterization did not reveal the formation of crystalline graphitic carbon after catalytic operation. Furthermore, the structural evolution of the Ce–Zr–O highlights the active role of the mixed oxide in promoting redox processes and maintaining catalytic activity under reaction conditions. Overall, these results demonstrate that the combination of highly conductive SiC-structured supports and Ce–Zr-promoted Ni catalysts significantly enhances both the thermal and catalytic efficiency of eSMR. The proposed catalyst provides a promising route toward compact, energy-efficient, and decentralized hydrogen production from biomethane, supporting the electrification and decarbonization of future hydrogen generation technologies.