Efficient Hydrogen Production from Ethylene Glycol Steam Reforming Catalyzed by Na-Promoted Pt/γ-Mo2N

Ethylene glycol (EG) derived from biomass and plastic wastes can serve as a sustainable H₂ resource through steam reforming (HOCH₂CH₂OH + 2H₂O ⇄ 5H₂ + 2CO₂). However, achieving high activity in H₂ production with good selectivity toward CO₂ under mild conditions poses a challenge. A thoughtful understanding of the active sites that accelerate the cleavage of the C-C bond rather than the C-O bond and the activation of the water molecule is still lacking. In this study, we developed a PtNa/γ-Mo₂N catalyst that efficiently enables hydrogen production from ethylene glycol steam reforming (EGSR) reactions. This catalyst achieved outstanding H₂ productivity, reaching 6000 mol_H2·mol_Pt^-1·h^-1 at 250 °C under 10 bar with high CO₂ selectivity (89%) and low CO selectivity (1%) in carbon-containing products. Comprehensive characterizations revealed the crucial role of the interface between highly dispersed Pt species and Mo₂N in activating ethylene glycol and water. Additionally, sodium (Na) was found to block acidic sites, preventing the formation of side products from C-O bond cleavage, and to modulate Pt sites, enhancing the reforming process by accelerating the water gas shift reaction.