A procedure based on electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was developed to coat metal plates with powder catalysts. The method was tested on stainless-steel plates with three Ni-based catalysts for the steam reforming of ethanol. The catalysts (Ni/La2O3/gamma-Al2O3) contained 15% Ni and 8% La, and were prepared using three types of gamma-alumina with different textural properties. The powder catalysts were suspended in isopropanol, and EPD deposition was performed with a voltage of 100V and a distance between electrodes of 2 cm. Deposition time was varied between 3 and 7 min, which gave a thickness of the catalyst layer from around 30 to 100 pm. The morphology of the catalyst layer was dependent on the textural characteristics of the gamma-Al2O3 used to prepare the catalyst. The activity of the catalyst plates was tested at 773 K using a steam to carbon molar ratio of 4. Significant differences in the selectivity towards ethanol dehydrogenation, reforming, and dehydration to ethylene could be observed between the three catalysts. Carbon deposition on the surface of the plates could be easily determined by SEM/ESEM. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.