LaNi1-xCu xO3 (x = 0.0, 0.3 and 0.5) type solids with perovskite structure were studied in this work aiming to develop catalysts for the production of high pure hydrogen in the internal reforming of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). It was observed that the experimental conditions used for preparing the samples favored the quantitative incorporation of cations in the precursor and the formation of solids with perovskite structure. These materials showed different reducing properties and the copper presence favored the stability of the perovskite structure. The catalytic properties of the samples were evaluated in water gas shift reaction (WGSR), an important step for purifying hydrogen in the process of hydrocarbons reforming. The results showed that the catalysts are promising for the reaction, showing much higher activities than a iron oxide-based commercial catalyst containing chromium and copper; This was assigned to the tendency of the samples in favoring the adsorptive mechanism, probably due to a high mobility of oxygen in the crystalline lattice. The highest value of catalytic activity was shown by the LaNi0.5Cu0.5O3 sample, the catalyst with the best performance.
Perovskite; hydrogen production; CO conversion; nickel and copper
