The paper investigated the effects of molecular structures on the conversion of the carboxylic acids (formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid) during the steam reforming reactions. In essence, molecular structures determined catalytic behaviors of the organics during the reforming reactions. The acids with a CC bond were more stable than formic acid during the homogenous decomposition reactions. However, the steam reforming of formic acid was much easier than that of the heavier acids due to the absence of cracking of the CC bond during reforming. The difficulty for reforming of the carboxylic acids increased with the increase of the length of the aliphatic carbon chain (from acetic acid to butyric acid). The carboxylic acids with a longer aliphatic carbon chain (propionic acid and butyric acid) also had a higher tendency towards coking than acetic acid and formic acid. The coke formed in steam reforming of formic acid was the lowest compared with other acids. The CC bond and the number of CC bond in the carboxylic acids affected the reactivity of the carboxylic acids, their tendencies towards the formation of coke and the properties of the coke. The coke had larger aromatic ring systems and oxygen–containing functionalities during steam reforming of acetic acid. The amorphous coke formed in reforming of acetic acid, while the fibrous coke formed during the reforming of the heavier carboxylic acids.

本文研究了蒸汽重整反应过程中分子结构对羧酸（甲酸，乙酸，丙酸和丁酸）转化的影响。本质上，分子结构决定了重整反应过程中有机物的催化行为。在均相分解反应中，具有C C键的酸比甲酸更稳定。但是，由于没有C的裂解，甲酸的蒸汽重整比重酸的蒸汽重整容易得多。重整过程中的C键。羧酸重整的难度随着脂族碳链长度的增加（从乙酸到丁酸）而增加。脂肪族碳链较长的羧酸（丙酸和丁酸）也比乙酸和甲酸具有更高的焦化趋势。与其他酸相比，甲酸蒸汽重整中形成的焦炭最低。C C键和C数羧酸中的C键影响羧酸的反应性，其形成焦炭的趋势和焦炭的性质。在乙酸的蒸汽重整过程中，焦炭具有较大的芳环体系和含氧官能团。无定形焦炭是在乙酸重整过程中形成的，而纤维状焦炭是在重羧酸的重整过程中形成的。