This study examined hydrogen generation by ethanol steam reforming over a Mn/Co10Si90MCM-48 catalyst. Transmission electron microscopy of the 10.0 mol.% Co incorporated SiMCM-48 (Co10Si90MCM-48) particles revealed cubic pores, but the pores for Mn-loaded catalyst, Mn/Co10Si90MCM-48, were covered partially by the loaded manganese oxide particles. The catalytic performance varied according to the loaded metal oxide species and the presence or absence of cobalt ions in the SiMCM-48 framework. The Mn/Co10Si90MCM-48 catalyst provides significantly higher reforming reactivity than the other catalysts, Mn/SiMCM-48, Co/SiMCM-48, and Co10Si90MCM-48 due to the synergy between cobalt and manganese ions. H-2 production was maximized to 98% over Mn/Co10Si90MCM-48 at a reaction temperature of 700 degrees C, CH3CH2OH:H2O of 1:3, and GHSV (gas hourly space velocity) of 4500 h(-1). The mechanism for ethanol steam reforming was also suggested. The incorporated cobalt contributed more to the absolute catalytic activity because there is little or no catalytic deactivation induced by aggregation between their particles compared to impregnated cobalt ingredients. Manganese oxides appear to provide oxygen to cobalt species, resulting in increases in hydrogen production and the suppression of CO generation. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.