Abstract: A catalyst for methanol synthesis and reforming which is constituted of copper, zinc, and aluminum oxides and has a structure comprising copper or copper oxide particles covered with a film of aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The copper or copper oxide particles preferably have a particle size of 1 to 100 nm. The film of aluminum oxide and zinc oxide preferably has a thickness of 0.1 to 100 nm. The proportions of the copper, zinc, and aluminum elements are 68.0 to 86.0% by weight, 4.5 to 21.0% by weight, and 2.0 to 20.0% by weight, respectively. The foregoing highly active catalyst comprising copper, zinc, and aluminum oxides can be obtained not by a costly special technique but by the coprecipitation method, which is the most common process for catalyst production, without using any additive element.

Abstract: A process for the production of a hydrogen gas from water, wherein comprising an aqueous solution containing ferric ions is irradiated with a light while maintaining the aqueous solution in contact with a photocatalyst to convert the ferric ions into ferrous ions. The resulting aqueous solution containing the ferrous ions is electrolyzed to yield a hydrogen gas.