Host: The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan
An aluminum plate has high heat conductivity and a porous layer with high surface area can be formed on it by anodizing. This porous layer is suitable for the catalyst support, especially for the catalyst support of the micro reaction process. In this study, a micro reactor was manufactured using a metal aluminum plate. Flow channels those with 500 m to 1500 µm width, 500 µm to 1500 µm depth and 50 mm length were manufactured on the aluminum plate(JIS A1050) by a mechanical process. The wall of channels was anodized in oxalic acid solution. The pore widening treatment and the hot water treatment were conducted after the anodizing, and then a layer of porous aluminum oxide was formed. It was found that the thickness of anodized layer was homogeneous on the wall of channel. Cu and Zn catalysts were impregnated on this anodized layer. Effects the channel width and depth of formation of catalysts were evaluated. From the results of characterization of the catalysts, it was found that homogeneous distribution of catalyst species on the wall was accomplished. This aluminum plate with catalyst channel was lidded with another aluminum plate and used as a micro reactor. Methanol steam reforming was conducted using this reactor. High activity was attained in comparison with the conventional plate type anodized aluminum catalyst.
