Aqueous Phase Methanol Reforming Catalyzed by Fe–Cu Alloy Nanoparticles Wrapped on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene

Small Fe–Cu nanoparticles (NPs) (about 1 nm) supported at a high loading (over 10 wt %) on N-doped graphitic carbon have been prepared in a single pyrolytic step from chitosan adsorbing Cu2+ and Fe2+ salts. The presence of N atoms appears to be crucial in the formation of small-sized metallic NPs. Interactions between Fe and Cu are reflected by a shift in the binding energy to higher (Fe) or lower (Cu) values and by H2 thermo-programmed reduction measurements, showing a new reduction peak at intermediate temperature (375 °C) between that of Cu (175 °C) and that of Fe (450 °C). Fe–Cu NPs embedded within the N-doped graphitic carbon matrix are extremely active (TOF 315 h–1) and selective (no CO detected) catalysts for methanol reforming in the aqueous phase with stoichiometric H2O amounts to H2 and CO2. The results achieved with Fe–Cu compare favorably with those reported in the literature for catalysts based on Pt, Pd, or Ru.