In the present work, we investigated the alternating current (AC) etching of aluminum wires with the aim of fabricating catalyst supports. This support material was found to possess a spongy surface layer that could be subsequently filled with γ-alumina by a combination of hydration and calcination. These support wires are easily fabricated at low cost, and could be mass produced continuously. The integrated structure of the catalyst produces a strong interconnection between the wire substrate and a thick catalyst layer on the wire. This work also demonstrated that the diffusion inside the catalyst layer can be controlled by varying the etched structure of the support layer. A micro-structured catalytic wall reactor concept was developed using these wires, situated parallel to one another within a tubular device, such that microchannels were present between the wires. The steam-reforming of methanol was assessed in this type of microreactor.
In the present work, we investigated the alternating current (AC) etching of aluminum wires with the aim of fabricating catalyst supports. This support material was found to possess a spongy surface layer that could be subsequently lled with γ-alumina by a combination of hydration and calcination. These support wires are easily fabricated at low cost, and could be mass produced continuously. The integrated structure of the catalyst produces a strong interconnection between the wire substrate and a thick catalyst layer on the wire. This work also demonstrated that the diffusion inside the catalyst layer can be controlled by varying the etched structure of the support layer. A micro-structured catalytic wall reactor concept was developed using these wires, situated parallel to one another within a tubular device, such that microchannels were present between the wires. The steam-reforming of methanol was assessed in this type of microreactor.
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