On-board hydrogen release from liquid organic carriers is a process that can make feasible the use of H2 as transportation fuel. Formic acid is considered as one of the most...

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 Cu 2+ and Fe 2+ 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 H 2 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 H 2 O amounts to H 2 and CO 2 . The results achieved with Fe−Cu compare favorably with those reported in the literature for catalysts based on Pt, Pd, or Ru.

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