Open cell metal foams made from Ni, Fe-Cr steel and Ni-Al intermetallic were studied as candidate catalyst supports for the internal indirect methane steam reforming All the samples exhibited good corrosive resistance during 500-1000 h testing in H(2)-H(2)O-Ar environment at 600 degrees C. NiO/8YSZ composite based catalysts doped with fluorite-like (Pr(0.3)Ce(0.35)Zr(0.35)O(2)) or perovskite-like (La(0.8)Pr(0.2)Mn(0.2)Cr(0.8)O(3)) complex oxides with high lattice oxygen mobility and promoted with Pt or Ru were prepared and deposited on the foam-structure supports Both good catalyst adhesion and stable catalyst performance were achieved in the case of the Ni-Al foam supported catalysts The Fe-Cr support reacted with the catalytic active components resulting in fast catalyst deactivation The foam supported catalyst performance was compared with the same catalyst prepared in a form of 0 25 mm fraction. Porous supports with different porosities were prepared by the metal foam deformation and the catalyst performance depending on the support porosity (75-95%) was studied (C) 2009 Professor T Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved